The Attorney General says she did not order the discontinuation of the case involving members of the Delta Force who were standing trial for conspiracy to commit crime, assault on public officer among other charges.
Gloria Akuffo has consequently ordered investigations into the circumstances under which the Principal State Attorney in Kumasi entered a nolle prosequi and got eight of the suspects discharged for lack of evidence.
A statement released by the Information Minister said “preliminary investigations suggest that decision was taken without recourse even to the Director of Public Prosecution and may amount to breach of internal procedures.”
The statement comes in the face of blistering attacks from the minority condemning the decision by the court to free the suspects.
Abass Caesar, Ebenezer Opoku, Samuel Yeboah, Kofi Fosu, Christian Anokye, Kwame Frempong, Eric Kusi and Abdul Suleman Odudu were asked to go home today because the prosecution does not have evidence to prove its case of assault on a public officer and three other charges leveled against them.
They attacked the court, intimidated the judge and freed 13 suspects who were at the time standing trial for attacking the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator.
The 13 suspects were part of 20 others who budged into the offices of the Regional Coordinating Council and in a Rambo style drove the security coordinator out of his office.
They said Mr Agyei had nothing to do in that office if he played little or no role in getting the NPP into office.
Their action was condemned and they were arrested and arraigned before court.
However, during hearing, tens of angry members of the Delta Force besieged the court, insulted the judge and freed the suspects.
Their action was captured on video which went viral on social media.
The action received a wave of criticism from the Christian Council, the Ghana Bar Association as well as many identifiable groups.
In the heat of the criticisms, the government through its Interior Minister as well as the president condemned the incident and promised to let the rule of law work.
Days after the assurances, the 13 suspects who escaped from the court, voluntarily reported to the police and the eight others said to be behind the invasion of the courts were also arrested and detained.
However, in a shocking turn of events, the eight persons were early Wednesday released by theKumasi Circuit Court for lack of evidence.
The Prosecution filed a nolle prosequi which led to the judge discharging the suspects.
The Minority, alarmed at the court’s decision organised a press conference condemning both the Attorney General, the president and the government in general for “pandering to political pressure.”
The Minority Leader ordered a rearrest of the suspects and have them prosecuted again.
In a rather interesting twist, the Attorney General has caused to be issued on her behalf, a statement suggesting she did not order the discontinuation of the case.
The full statement is as follows;
STATEMENT ON DISCONTINUANCE OF PROSECUTION
The Attorney General’s department is investigating circumstances under which a Principal State Attorney in Kumasi decided without recourse to advice from higher authority on a matter of high public interest of this nature to drop charges against persons arrested in connection with disturbances in a Kumasi Magistrate’s court in April this year.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the decision was taken without recourse even to the Director of Public Prosecution and may amount to a breach of internal procedures on matters of this nature.
While the department awaits the full results of this investigation we will like to reiterate our commitment to ensuring that the rule of law is applied at all times and persons found culpable of any breaches that bring the work and commitment of the department into disrepute will be sanctioned and the appropriate remedies adopted in the interest of the Republic.
Signed
Information Minister
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