Eleven people, made up of drivers, bus conductor, and unemployed persons are being prosecuted for engaging in land guard activities, rioting with weapon, riot and conspiring to commit a crime.
The accused persons are 21 years old unemployed Emmanuel Gyan, Seidu Bashiru, 25 a trader, Wadudu Awudu, 32 a driver, Haruna Seidu, 31 a porter, and Issahaku Suleman, 26 and a driver.
The rest are Hakibu Shaibu, 68 and a driver, Adamu Yussif Haruna @ Baba, 38 unemployed, Oly Rahman, 46 a driver, David Majah, 38 a driver, and Issahaku Suleman, 26 a driver’s mate.
The accused persons all pleaded not guilty to the charges and were granted bail last week in the sum of GH¢50,000.00 with three common sureties.
The court, presided over by Patricia Amponsah, was told by the prosecuting officer, Chief Inspector John Gohoho, that the accused persons came into contact with the law, due to a power struggle at the Shukura Lorry Station.
According to the prosecutor, in September this year, confusion erupted between the members and executives of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) over who was in charge of ticketing and revenue collection at the lorry station.
He stated that the confusion generated into protracted conflict between these two groups, and on several occasions the police had to intervene to maintain the peace.
C/Insp Gohoho continued that attempts by the Accra Regional Executives of the GPRTU to resolve the issue amicably had proven futile.
As a result, on October 7, 2022, the Accra Regional Police had a distress call that some men were using guns and cutlasses to attack people at the Shukura lorry station.
Without delay, he said, a team of police personnel was dispatched to the scene, and Emmanuel, Seidu, Osman, Wadudu, Haruna and Issahaku were arrested holding cutlasses.
He said the others managed to escape, but shortly after the team left the scene they were called back and the other accused persons were also arrest carrying a knife and cutlasses.
The court was further informed that Hakibu, Adamu, Oly, David and Issahaku were members of the two rival groups and were spotted by the police rioting at the lorry station and were also arrested. He added that many people were injured during the riot.
Chief Gohoho indicated that Emmanuel, Seidu, Osman, Wadudu, Haruna and Issahaku confirmed to the police during interrogation that they were contracted by the GPRTU Branch Secretary, one Abass Mohammed, at large, to repel the attack by the other group.
He asserted that it was as a result of these incidents that the accused persons had been charged with the above counts of criminal offences.
