The Sixteen notorious land-guards arrested in Pantang last Saturday, May 30, 2020 have been remanded in police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.
The case which was earlier sent to the Adjabeng District Magistrate Court was later moved to the Cocoa Affairs Court, Court 7 for hearing.
The accused persons, Illa Ismael a Destooled Chief of Osu, Bashiru Abdul Latif, Christian Atsu, Ali Sulemana, Augustine Agornyo, Samuel Baah, James Okyere, Foster Nii Odoi, Mohammed Abukakari, Masawudu Sowala, Gafari Gyima, Yussif Assila, Aminu Musa and Emmanuel Yariu were picked by the SWAT Team for terrorizing and attacking land owners at Pantang in Accra.
The accused are facing Five counts of offences including Prohibition of activities of land guard activities contrary to Section 7(3) of Vigilantism and Related Offences ACT 2019 ACT 999, Possession of arms and ammunitions, contrary to Section 11(A) of Arms and Ammunitions ACT 1972, NRCD 9, Assault contrary to Section 84 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (ACT 29), Possession of Indian hemp, a narcotic drug.
According to the fact of the case, Jonas Adu an employee of Jereel Estate Developing Company accused Illa Ishmael and the others of being land guards terrorizing the people on their land sites.
The complainant, Joseph Adu and his colleagues were working on their legally acquired company’s land at Pantang when the 1st accused, Illa Ishmael on board a registered Toyota car led the rest of the accused persons also in Toyota Hilux with registration No WR 1642-15 and unregistered Toyota Sienna to the site, attacked and assaulted Kweku Prah, Laryea Issaka, Jelili Spain, Fosu Emmanuel, Bright Frimpong, Yaw Boakye, Eric Asante, Samuel Kuma, Enoch Obeng, and Joseph Okeyere on the land without any just cause.
The accused persons on seeing the police arriving rushed into their cars to escape but they were blocked with the help of the Youth in the area and were arrested.
A search was however conducted and the police discovered in the cars, 12 ammunitions of AK47 riffle, two pistol ammunitions, a knife and three wrap of dried leaves suspected to be Cannabis in 1st accused person, Illa Ishmael’s car.
Also, two knives and three wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Cannabis were also found in the Toyota Hilux, whiles a knife and one wrap of dried leaves were found in the unregistered Toyota Sienna car.
A Police report indicate that Illa Ismael, on that Saturday, stormed the site with 12 rounds of AK 47 live ammunition and 2 rounds of 9mm ammunition together with other offensive weapons to attack their victims.
Meanwhile upon police interrogation, the accused persons claimed they were contracted by GN Bank and one Sarah Ama Forkuo of Samampa Company to guard on the land for them.
The accused persons were put before Court and were remanded in Police Custody to reappear in Court today, June 3, 2020.
