By Yvonne Asare Offei
An Accra Circuit Court has refused to grant bail to the 12 accused persons involved in the alleged Bawku chieftaincy disturbances. The Circuit Court Judge Emmanuel Essendoh while refusing the bail said the case bothers on fundamental human rights and the Circuit court does not have jurisdiction but the High Court.
This was after the State Prosecutor, Vivian Osei Tutu urged that the Court should refuse the bail application because of the sensitive nature of the case. She said that should they be granted bail, they might cause more mayhem since the offense was committed in the face of a lawful imposition of a curfew on activities in Bawku and its environs and also when there was a restraining order on the burial of a Chief and against the Enskinment of a chief.
Defense Counsel led by Lawyer Martin Kpebu in his response to the affidavit in opposition said that on the issue of the jurisdiction they are not dealing with the substantive matter and so the application is before a Special Court since his clients have been in custody for more than 48 hours as by law.
He expressed disappointment at how the Constitution of Ghana has been thrown to the dogs. Lawyer Kpebu spoke to the media after court proceedings.
The 12 suspects are on a provisional charge of unlawful assembly and have been in Police detention for their alleged involvement in the Bawku chieftaincy disturbances. This follows a renewed chieftaincy clash in Bawku last Monday, which led to the loss of lives and the destruction of property.