The Ho High Court has adjourned a case involving seven members of a separatist group calling for the restoration of the Western Togoland from Ghana, Tuesday.
Three out of the seven members of Homeland Study Group Foundation who were charged with treason felony appeared before the court presided over by His Lordship, Justice Charles Agbevor.
Martin Asiamah Agbenu, 57, Divine Odonkor, 65 and Charles Kormi Kudjordji, 78, the leader of the group were arrested by the Volta Regional Police Command for attempting to declare Western Togoland independent from Ghana on May 9, 2017.
The Police had said the T-Shirt worn by members of the group with the inscription “9th May 2017 is OUR DAY Western Togoland” on March 6 amounts to treason.
The three accused persons were granted a GHC50,000 bail with two sureties each when they first appeared before the court presided over by Justice Agbevor last week. Four of the accused members are said to still be at large.
In a packed court filled with several members of the separatist group, the prosecution team led by State Attorney, Moses Asampoa pleaded with the court to give his team more time to gather enough evidence before the trial commence.
He, however, stood by the charges of treason felony insisting the intentions of the accused persons and their group to declare the Western Togoland independent from Ghana and wearing of the T-Shirts constitute to treason.
Mr Asampoa also appealed to the presiding judge to ban the wearing of the said ‘Western Togoland’ T-Shirt which was strongly objected by the lead counsel for the accused, Atsu Agbakpe.
Mr Agbakpe told the court it would be undemocratic under the constitution to ban the wearing of a T-Shirt.
He, therefore, appealed to the court to dismiss the case since the prosecution has failed to gather enough evidence to prosecute his clients.
Justice Agbevor, said even though the said ‘Western Togoland’ T-Shirt is related to the case, he can’t ban members of the Homeland Study Group Foundation from wearing the said T-Shirt.
He, however, cautioned members of the separatist group to be weary of activities they engage in when wearing the said T-Shirt, while advising the defense and prosecution team counsels to be careful in their submissions to avert tension.
Meanwhile, Mr Kormi Kudjordji has admonished members of the group to adhere to the judge’s advice and not engage in any illegal activity while they remain committed to the objective of the group.
He also indicated that the group is fighting for the restoration of the Western Togoland and not the secession of a part of the Volta region as reported by a section of the media.
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