Kombian appears in court

Johnson Kombian, a two-time jail breaker and alleged assassin of two policemen at Nakpanduri, was on Monday arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court.

Kombian, who also wounded a policeman, was charged with escaping from lawful custody.

His plea was not taken and was remanded into Police custody to allow the Police to do further investigations into the matter. The case has been adjourned to December 8, 2010.

The fugitive, who was brought to the court premises under tight security, attracted a large crowd, who wanted to catch a glimpse of the man whose activities had generated so much public attention.

Kombian, who was wearing only a pair of jeans trousers, had bruises and cuts on the body.

The fugitive was arrested in Togo by the Togolese security authorities last weekend and repatriated to Ghana.

Mr Anthony Rexford Wiredu, Chief State Attorney, giving the facts of the case said Kombian escaped from lawful custody while serving a jail term at the Tamale Central Prisons.

He said the accused, until his escape on January 15, 2010, was serving a five-year jail term for a previous escape and awaiting trial for robbery and attempted murder.

Mr Wiredu said the accused in 2005 shot an official of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and was serving a jail term at the Tamale Prisons from where he escaped.

He said the accused person in another incident stole a cassette recorder and was jailed but he managed to escape from the Gambaga prisons to Nigeria by bribing a Police officer with GH¢4,000.

Mr Wiredu said the accused had three wives, one in Nalerigu in the Northern region, one in Togo and the other in Cote d’Ivoire.

Mr George Asumani, counsel for Kombian, said the charge against the accused was a misdemeanor even though he recognised it was an offence that goes with no bail.

He said the physical condition of the accused before the court was a serious matter that must not be toyed with.

Mr Asumani pleaded with the court to help ensure that the accused was given proper medical attention because his condition was not good.

He also prayed the court to instruct the press to refrain from trying the case in the media, which would prejudice the case against the accused.

Mr Kyei Baffour, the trial judge, said there was a limit to which the court could go in ordering the media not to comment on the issue so as not to create the impression that the court wanted to gag the media.

He also entreated the Police to ensure that the accused was given proper medical attention because his physical condition was not good.

Source: GNA