The Koforidua Circuit Court has remanded 14 people for allegedly vandalising the Somanya Police Station on May 29, 2017. Refusing them bail, the court, presided over by Mrs Mercy Addei Kotei, remanded them to reappear on June 27, 2017. The remanded people include the Assembly Member for the Sawer Electoral Area in Somanya in the Yilo Krobo municipality, Ebenezer Jones Adamtey. The pleas of the accused persons were not taken.
Facts
Adamtey has been charged with causing unlawful damage, demonstrating without recourse to the Public Order Act and provocation of riot, while the 13 others, mostly young people, are charged with conspiracy to commit riot, rioting, rioting with weapons, unlawful assembly and forcible entry. It be recalled that on Monday, May 29, 2017, some irate youth of Somanya went on rampage and vandalised the Somanya Police Station and other property following Adamtey’s arrest. Adamtey is suspected to have led the irate youth to cause unlawful damage to the offices of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) on Friday, May 26, 2017. The youth who vandalised the police station burnt the only police duty patrol vehicle, with registration number GP 2605, in the process. They allegedly destroyed doors and windows, police diaries and computers at the station. Some policemen and their families had to run for their lives.
Standstill
Following the action of the youth, almost every economic activity in Somanya came to a standstill for more than eight hours. Most stores were closed down and many residents ran for their lives, as the demonstrators took the town hostage. Major roads were closed to traffic, a situation which created inconvenience for travellers who passed through Somanya. It took reinforcement from the Eastern Regional Police Command and nearby police stations to control the demonstrators, who were more than 1,000.
graphic.com.gh
