The Osino District Court in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region has granted bail to 15 persons accused of involvement in the arson attack on the Electoral Commission (EC) office at Asuboi in the Ayensuano Constituency.
The incident occurred on December 10, 2024, when a group calling itself the Ayensuano Concerned Youth protested at the EC office following the declaration of Ida Adwoa Asiedu as the MP-elect for the Ayensuano Constituency. During the unrest, the EC office was set ablaze.
The suspects, who were arrested by the police and charged with arson, were each granted bail in the sum of GH₵20,000 with one surety. They are scheduled to reappear in court on January 14, 2025. The bail was granted by His Worship Salifu Bugri Ayagiba, despite objections from the prosecution.
Prosecuting Detective Chief Inspector Kamal Salifu Gumah opposed the bail, arguing that investigations were still ongoing and expressing concerns that the suspects might interfere with the process.
However, counsel for the accused countered, assuring the court that his clients were well-known in the community and would cooperate fully with legal proceedings.
The court upheld the defence counsel’s plea and granted bail to the suspects.
“The police alleged that some of the NDC members had gone to demolish the EC office at Ayensuano, so we had to come to court to help them and by God’s grace, we have been able to secure bail for them. We will come back to the case on January 14, 2025,” the defence counsel said after the ruling.
“Since they have been granted bail, the court has asked them to report to the Kibi police commander to ensure that they are still available. Everyone was granted GH₵20,000 bail. All the fifteen people were granted bail today,” he added.
“These are all accusations, so the evidence is the only thing that shows they did what they are being accused of. Until then, it is just a mere accusation. If the police can gather evidence, fine; if not, the case will be rubbished,” the counsel concluded.
The case has attracted significant attention, and with the suspects scheduled to return to court in January, all eyes will be on the legal proceedings to determine the outcome of the charges.
Source – GraphicOnline
