The NDC’s Parliamentary Candidate for the Awutu Senya East constituency in the Central region, Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor together with two others have been granted bail by the Ghana Police Service.
On Sunday June 2, 2024, the police arrested some individuals for possessing firearms unlawfully and being involved in a violent clash at the Electoral Commission’s office in Ofaakor near Kasoa which lead to some individuals sustaining injuries.
The suspects according to the police, Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor was cautioned on the offence of transfer of firearms without authority whilst suspects Abdulai Aziz and Mustapha Mohammed have been cautioned on the offence of possession of firearms without authority.
Prior to granting bail to the suspects, the opposition NDC accused the police for unlawfully arresting Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor indicating that her arrest was a political persecution being carried out by elements within the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).
Reports suggested that, a gun registered in Naa Koryoo Okunor’s and found in her car had some discrepancy in the spelling of her name on the document indicating the gun belonged to her hence the police decision to detain her.
However, in a social media post, the Communications director of the NDC, Sammy Gyamfi countered the claim saying “the claim of a discrepancy in her first name is totally false.”
This resulted in supporters of the party marching to the Cantonments Police station demanding the release of their member.
After several hours of detention, police in a brief statement said “ the Ghana Police Service has cautioned and subsequently granted bail to three persons who were arrested when a pump action gun with four rounds of ammunition was found in their vehicle at the offices of the Electoral Commission at Ofaakor in the Awutu Senya East constituency of the Central region. Suspect, Phyllis Naa Koryoo Okunor has been cautioned on the offence of transfer of firearms without authority whilst suspects Abdulai Aziz and Mustapha Mohammed have been cautioned on the offence of possession of firearms without authority”.
The statement further revealed that, “on Thursday, June 6, 2024, the court remanded into Police custody, to reappear on 19th June, 2024, suspect Usman Haruna for stabbing one person during the disturbances at the office of the Electoral Commission at Ofaakor in the Awutu Senya East constituency”.
“Police investigations are ongoing, while the case docket is being forwarded to the Office of the Attorney-General for study and advice”, the statement added.
