Democracy Hub Demo: 13 more protesters put before court.

                      

Thirteen more protesters who participated in the Democracy Hub demonstrations against illegal mining (Galamsey) were arraigned before the Accra Circuit Court on September 25.

The thirteen included #FixTheCountry executive, Felicity Nelson.

Three more persons including Convener, Oliver Barker Vormawor were absent when the case was called.

Barker Vormawor was hospitalized after taking ill on Tuesday night.

This brings to fifty-three (53) the number of protesters arraigned before the court. Hearing of the case was stood down after lead counsel for the protesters, Dr Justice Srem Sai told the court that they had not been served the charge sheet.

The Judge, Kwabena Obiri Yeboah therefore ordered the prosecution to serve the lawyers and stood the case down for 30 minutes.

After the case was recalled, the protesters pleaded not guilty to six charges proffered against them consisting of conspiracy to commit crime namely, unlawful assembly, unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, offensive conduct, assault of public officer and defacement of public notice.

Lawyers of the protesters took turns to argue for a bail for their clients. Dr Srem Sai representing Oliver Barker Vormawor, Felicity Nelson and Cedric Bansa, a software engineer argued that the Police erred in their arrest to begin with.

He noted that Democracy Hub obtained a court order to demonstrate anywhere except the frontage of the Jubilee House and the Revolutionary Square which the group initially wanted to use. The Police took the group to court, arguing that the area was a security zone.

Members of the group therefore suggested a different route which was the roundabout close to the 37 Military Hospital which was subsequently rejected by the Police leading to their indiscriminate arrests.

Dr Srem Sai additionally prayed that Oliver Barker Vormawor be discharged from the Police custody to receive proper treatment since his medical record indicated that he is hypertensive.

Regarding journalist and Fixthecountry executive Felicity Nelson, Dr Srem Sai told the court that the 34-year-old is a mother to a teenager and they live alone. He explained that her absence would leave her son stranded and prayed for her to be granted bail.

24-year-old Cedric Bansa, who is a software engineer, the lawyer argued cannot be flight risk because he has parents who served in the force. Cedric’s father is a retired DSP while his mother was an Assistant Commissioner of the Police.

One of the protesters Thomas Yeboah was reported to be unfit to be charged since he needed a mental evaluation. His lawyer, Noble Nelson Amedewono told the court that he was arrested after asking a Police officer for help.

After more than three hours of arguments by lawyers of the protesters for a bail, presiding Judge adjourned the hearing to Thursday, September 26 for the accused persons to reappear for the decision of the court.

This means that the eleven accused persons will be remanded for 19 hours.

Per the charge sheet the 13 accused persons are Oliver Mawuse Barker-Vormawor (A1), absent; Cedric Bansah (A2); Michael Amofa (A3); Emmanuel Ofei (A4); Nii Ayi (A5); Fred Boateng (A6); and Deportee Iddrisu Yusif (A7).

The rest are: Wendele (A8); Fanny Otoo (A9), absent; Samuel Samakor (A10); Felicity Nelson (A11); Nana Amoh Mensah Prempeh (A12); and Thomas Yeboah (A13).

Two of the accused persons, Oliver and Fanny were absent due to health reasons.