Chief Justice and Attorney General: So, there is a Bolgatanga High Court not dealing with Bawku conflict-related criminal cases?

 

So, there is a Bolgatanga High Court? And there is a Justice Alexander Graham of the High Court? And there are Mrs Joyce Debrah (Principal State Attorney) and Priscilla Lartey and Kofi Hayford (Assistant State Attorneys)? And there is High Court Registrar, Margaret Ayaba?

So, the Bolgatanga High Court can act expeditiously to hear a Motion Ex-Parte filed by one Lt. Colonel Ajibadeck Benjamin Baba (Retired) and order on 18th February, 2023, that a Warrant of Arrest be issued for the arrest of ALHAJI SEIDU ABAGRE (KULGA II), NAA BOHAGU MAHAMI ABDULAI
SHERIGA (Paramount Chief of Mamprugu Traditional area AND HIS KING MAKERS?

As a Citizen of Ghana, I ask why the Bolgatanga High Court Judge, the Bolgatanga State Attorneys and the Bawku Security Operatives are unable to marshal the same speed and alacrity to expeditiously handle and dispose of pending and new Bawku conflicted-related criminal cases?

I cringe!!

Since the latest Bawku conflict broke out in November/December, 2021, State Security Operatives arrested over sixty-seven (67) suspects who were arraigned before inferior Courts in the Upper East Region.

There are currently seventeen (17) Bawku conflict-related criminal cases in Court. And most of the accused persons are on court bail after being charged with offences such as murder, possession of firearms, discharging arms in town, causing harm, possession of narcotic drugs, etc.

Did the courts not take judicial notice of what the Bawku locals say that when the accused persons were granted bail, some of them returned to Bawku triumphantly only to (allegedly) engage in committing more crime?

Have the Chief Justice and Attorney General not realised that their non-kinectic intervention to provide a Special Court or Fast Track High Court for Bawku could complement the efforts of the Sate Security Operatives to enforce and maintain law, order and discipline in Bawku?

As a Citizen, I ask again! When will the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General ensure that the following Bawku conflict-related criminal cases are disposed of timeously?:

(1). The Rep. vrs Imoro Ibrahim, Haruna Abdul Rauf.

Nature of offence: Possession of firearm and ammunition without lawful authority.

Exhibits involved:
One (1) AK 47 assault rifle with magazines, seventeen (17) rounds AK 47 live ammunitions.

Date of offence: 25/11/21.

Place of arrest: Kolore.

Status of Case: Case pending and Accused are on Court bail.

(2). The Rep. vrs Yakubu Abdul Hakim.

Nature of Offence: Possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 25/11/21.

Place of arrest: Patilime.

Exhibits involved: Twelve (12) rounds of AK 47 live ammunitions.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(3). The Rep. vrs Awal Musah, Salifu Yahaya.

Nature of offence: Possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 21/11/21.

Place of arrest: Siliminaba.

Exhibits involved: One (1) AK 47 live ammunition.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(4). The Rep vrs Naa Atampuri and twelve (12) others.

Nature of the offence: Unlawful assembly, offensive conduct conducive to the breach of the peace.

Date of offence: 28/12/2.

Place of arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of case: Case transferred to Accra and Accused are on Court bail.

(5). The Rep. vrs Ibrahim Fatawau.

Nature of offence: Murder.

Date of offence: 13/1/22.

Place arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is in Police custody.

(6). The Rep. vrs Mohammed Abukari and six (6) others at large.

Nature of offence: Attempt to commit crime, Murder.

Date of offence: 25/1/22.

Place of arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of case: Accused on Court bail and six (6) others at large.

(7). The Rep.vrs Maxwell Asaama Awuni.

Nature of Offence: Possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 1/2/22.

Place of arrest: Gingande.

Exhibits involved: Two(2) foreign pistols, fifty (50) rounds of AK 47 live ammunitions, seventeen (17) rounds of M.16 live ammunitions, three (3) rounds of G3 live ammunitions, ten (10) rounds of 9mm pistol live ammunitions.

Status of case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(8). The Rep. vrs Ibrahim Fatawu.

Nature of offence: Possession of firearm and ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 1/2/22.

Place of arrest: Natinga

Exhibits involved: One (1) AK47 assault rifle, one (1) Arcus foreign pistol, eight (8) rounds AK 47 live ammunition, eighty (80) live G3 ammunitions.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused granted Court bail.

(9). The Rep.vrs Osman Adam Ayagiba.

Nature of offence: Murder.

Date of offence: 27/2/22.

Place of arrest: Gingande.

Exhibits involved: Nil.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused is on Court bail.

(10). The Rep. vrs Rabi Azzelim

Nature of Offence: Possession of Narcotic Drug.

Date of offence: 28/2/22.

Place of arrest: Natinga.

Exhibits involved: Two (2) wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp.

Status of case: Pending and Accused is on Court bail.

(11). The Rep. vrs Adam Ibrahim, Tijani Sulley, Tijani Abendeba, Imoro Adam, Saali Abusanga, Kassim Mohammed.

Nature of offence: Conspiracy to commit murder to wit: Murder, and Murder.

Date of offence: 14/3/22.

Place of arrest: Goziese.

Exhibits involved: Eleven (11) AK 47 spent shells.

Status of case: Pending in Court and Accused on Court bail.

(12). The Rep. vrs Issah Yakubu Matetim, Adams Abubakar, Eliasu Fofana, Nuhu Zato, Adams Alhassan, Shaibu Seidu, Awuni Issah, Abdulai Hamidu, Ibrahim Amadu, Issaka Mumuni.

Nature of offence: Possession of Narcotic

Date of arrest: 14/3/22.

Place of arrest: Possum.

Exhibits involved: Twenty-two (22) toffees laced with suspected Narcotic drugs.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused are on Court bail.

(13). The Rep. vrs Adamu Mumuni & eight (8) others.

Nature of offence: Discharging guns in town, possession of ammunition without lawful authority.

Date of offence: 10/5/22.

Place of arrest: Patilime.

Exhibits involved: One (1) locally manufactured pistol.

Status of Case: Pending and Accused remanded into Police custody.

(14). The Rep.vrs Osman Issah.

Nature of offence: Murder.

Date of offence: 10/5/22.

Place of arrest: Sing-Naaba.

Status of Case: Registered to be called since 14/5/22, and Suspect is in custody.

(15). The Rep. vrs Sadick Abubakar Sulemana, Nabsong Nasiru Yakubu

Nature of offence: Possession of firearm and ammunition without authority, and Murder.

Date of arrest: 21/6/22

Place of arrest: Sing-Natinga

Exhibits involved: One (1) AK 47 assault rifle, 320 live rounds of 7.69/39 mm calibre ammunition, fifty (50) live rounds of AK 47 ammunitions, three (3) AK 47 empty magazine, one locally manufactured pistol, one (1) BB live cartridge.

Status of Case: Pending in Court and Accused persons remanded into prison custody.

I shall return.

Owula Mangortey
Bawku
21st February, 2023