Members of the NPP affiliated Vigilante group, Delta Force stormed the Kumasi Circuit Court yesterday [Thursday, March 6], and let loose 13 of their members who were detained in connection with the raid and assault carried out by the group at the office of the newly appointed Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei on Friday, the 24th of March, 2017.
It happened that the accused 13 members of the Delta Force Vigilante were arraigned before the Kumasi Circuit Court for charges of conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage. The Presiding Judge, Mary Senkyire had ruled that the case be adjourned till 20th April, 2017, and also ordered the remand of all the accused persons till that date when they will be made to reappear before the court.
However, members of the group who were present in the court in large numbers started protesting that the ruling will not stand; demanding that their accused members be released to them so as to take them home. Sources at the Kumasi Court revealed that an uproar was immediately caused both withing the court room and the premises, with properties being damaged and the Judge almost assaulted if not for the intervention of a Police officer who managed to whisk her into her chamber.
All the security personnel at the court appeared to have been taken by surprise as every one of the confusionists, together with the accused persons all escaped through the court’s backdoor! Not even one of them was arrested!!
The Inspector General of Police, David Asante-Apeatu in a press conference later in the day, expressed surprise over the action of the Delta Force group, describing it as unanticipated. According to the IGP, his men who were stationed at the court, were never expecting any form of violence, especially while considering the fact that the accused persons voluntarily appeared before the court for prosecution.
He also explained that the great number of the vigilante men who besieged the court also handicapped the policemen, thereby giving chances for the escape of the accused persons.
The IGP further revealed that eight of the Delta Force supporters who aided the escape of the 13 suspects have been arrested. He said the men are in their custody assisting with investigation on the matter.
Meanwhile, President Akufo-Addo has reportedly summoned IGP Apeatu to his office at the Flaggstaff House; probably to answer some questions over the despicable incident.
The court has however, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the 13 accused men of the Delta Force.
The Minister of Interior, Ambrose Derry have also issued out a stern warning to the escaped persons to turn in themselves or risk being pursued and rearrested. Speaking at an impromptu press conference in Accra, Mr. Derry assured that all the necessary security agencies will be employed to make sure that the escaped suspects are made to face the law.
The Delta Force saga once again reared it’s ugly head on Friday, March 24, 2017. About 200 members of the vigilante group stormed the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council on that fateful day to stop Mr. Adjei from performing his duties, citing that they cannot work with him because he is not a native of the region. Read full story of the Delta Force Attack here.
Following the intervention by the National Executive Council of the New Patriotic Party after the attack, the group apologized to President Akufo-Addo, pledging its support to the Regional Security Coordinator. The President subsequently summoned the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Boasiako, to answer to the circumstances that led to the raid.
Howbeit, a good section of Ghanaians are beginning to express some level of disappointment with the Akufo-Addo administration over their cold feet attitude towards making party supporters who break the law to face the consequences, especially while considering the government’s constant pledge to the practice of impartial rule of law.
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