An Adentan Circuit Court has issued a Bench Warrant for the arrest of the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku-Mantey for failing to appear before it.
The Deputy Minister has been charged for allegedly violating Section 7 (1) and (2) of the vigilantism and related offenses Act and forcibly entering the land of one Alhaji Tony Baba.
Mr. Okraku-Mantey was to appear in Court January 18, 2021 for the continuation or completion of a case management conference for the trial to commence but he failed to do so. His lawyer was also absent after he sought permission from the Court.
Prosecuting, Superintendent Patience Mario, prayed the Court for a Bench warrant for the arrest of the accused person.
The Court presided over by Mrs. Sedinam Awo Balokah, issued the warrant, and adjourned the matter to February 8, 2022.
The case of the prosecution was that the complainant, Alhaji Tony Baba, is an Estate Developer residing at North Legon, Accra. It said the complainant is developing a parcel of land at Oyarifa, High Tension, which the accused person allegedly claims ownership of. The prosecution said on March 3, 2021, the accused person went to the site with three “thugs” two of whom were on a motorbike and another in his (Deputy Minister’s) car.
The prosecution said on March 9, 2021, the accused person visited the site a few hours after, which the “thugs” he previously went there with, revisited the site and attacked the workers and allegedly caused damage to parts of the building. It said the complainant reported the matter to the Police and mentioned the accused person as the one behind the “unwarranted attacks and damages.”
The prosecution said during interrogation, the accused person was contacted to report to the Police to assist in investigations. It said while the Police were waiting for the accused person, more damages were allegedly caused to the three-bedroom building on March 10, 2021 of which he was identified as the mastermind of the damage.
The prosecution said on April 3 2021 the complainant’s workers were allegedly attacked again and two persons sustained injuries. It said the injured persons were issued with Police medical forms to seek treatment. On March 20, last year, extensive damage was allegedly caused to the building, which was at the lintel level and valued at ₵63,700.
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