Mfantsiman MP’s trial: Police submits exhibits for forensic analysis
The Police on Wednesday informed an Accra Circuit Court that it has submitted all evidence and exhibits in connection with the robbery of the slain Mfantsiman Member of Parliament, Ekow Quansah Hayford for forensic analysis.
The report on the exhibits which included a pistol, pellets, and shells, according to the prosecution, would determine the way forward in the trial.
Police Chief Inspector Emmanuel Haligah who held the brief for the main prosecutor objected to the grant of bail, adding that, investigations were still on going and the accused might interfere with it.
Chief Inspector Haligah said; “we just need time to complete investigations and we pray that they are remanded and wait for the outcome of the analysis”.
Defence counsel for the accused then took turns to argue for bail for their respective clients.
According to the lawyers their clients were bread winners in their respective homes and during the yuletide they would have to provide for their families.
The lawyers further contended that the accused persons have fixed places of abode and have denied the various charges, hence they are presumed innocent until found guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
The court presided over by Mrs Evelyn Asamoah turned down the bail applications and adjourned the matter to December 30.
The accused are: Alhassan Abubakar aka Abu Fulani, Naziru Fudailu Nash aka SP, Alhassan Mahama Yahaya aka Mystical Cloud, Amadu Yakubu, Haruna Osmanu, Adam Alhassan Fuseini Alhassan aka Black Smith and Fred Tetteh aka Walace.
One Mohammed and others are said to be at large.
The accused are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.
The case of Prosecution is that Alhassan Abubakar aka Abu Fulani, is a mobile phone repairer residing at Akwatia Line, Kumasi and Naziru Fudailu Nash alias SP is a businessman living at Aboabo No. 2, Kumasi.
Prosecution said Alhassan Mahama Yahaya, aka Mystical Cloud, was unemployed and lived at Dansoman in Accra, Amadu Yakubu, Mobile Money agent, living in Mankessim Zongo.
Haruna Osumanu is a trader, living at Mankessim.
Prosecution said on October 9, this year at about 0100 hours, Police had information that armed robbers had barricaded a section of the road between Abeaze-Dominase and Duadze on the Mankessim Assufosu highway, robbing the commuters of their mobile phones, monies and other valuables.
He said Police quickly mobilized men and proceeded to the scene but narrowly missed the robbers.
According to prosecution, at the scene, Police saw a number of vehicles parked on the road with some of the victims who had sustained various degrees of gunshot wounds with one dead.
Prosecution said the body was later identified as the Member of Parliament for Mfantsiman, Ekow Quansah Hayford.
According to the prosecution two of the victims one Patrick Asante, a Kia truck driver and Uncle Issah the MP’s driver, got seriously injured.
Prosecution said the Police cleared the road to restore traffic flow and conveyed the victims to Winneba and Cape Coast Hospitals for medical attention.
The prosecution said the body of the deceased Member of Parliament was also deposited at the Saltpond Mortuary pending autopsy.
According to prosecution, investigations revealed that, the late MP for Mfantsiman filed his nominations form on October 8, this year, for re-election and decided to visit four communities in the Taabosom Electoral area namely; Effutakwa, Opim, Takoradi and Duadze.
The Prosecution said the MP arrived with his campaign team on board a Mitsubishi pickup branded in NPP colours and the robbers immediately fired gunshots into the vehicle, bursting the tyres and the vehicle eventually stopped after running into a ditch.
The prosecution said the robbers surrounded them and demanded for all their valuables.
The robbers pointed a gun at Stephen Allan and asked whether he was the MP, he replied in the negative.
Prosecution said Mr. Hayford, the MP owned up so they pounced on him and collected his Samsung galaxy 850 mobile phone and demanded money.
The Prosecution said the late MP told the robbers that he had used up all his money as he was returning from campaign tour.
“He therefore pleaded with them to take him to his house to give them money but they refused and shot him, killing him instantly,” prosecution said.
According to prosecution, the Police tracked the mobile phone of the deceased to Kumasi and arrested Nash at Aboabo in possession of the deceased Samsung galaxy 850 where Nash mentioned Abubakar as the person who sold the phone to him at GH¢780.00.
Prosecution said Nash led the Police to Akwatia line where Abubakar was also arrested. Abubakar mentioned Mohammed as the one who sold the phone to him for GH¢680.00 and that Yahaya, Yakubu, Osumanu and Alhassan were all arrested in connection with the robbery and murder of the MP.
Prosecution said efforts were under way to apprehend Mohammed and other accomplices.
Source: GNA