12 Vandals granted bail

Page 40
July 1, 2008

TWELVE people who were arrested by the Osu Police for breaking into and vandalising the Osu Mantse’s palace have been granted bail to appear before court.
Eight out of the 12 were hired from Nima by one of the factions in the chieftaincy dispute in the area.
DSP Samuel Punobyin, who led the police team to arrest the 12, told the Daily Graphic that the police had concluded investigations into the matter and that the “culprits would be put before court soon”.
He said they would be charged with conspiracy to commit crime, rioting and causing unlawful damage.
According to him, one of the intruders confessed that they were hired from Nima and promised GH¢8000 to carry out the disturbances.
The 12 invaded the palace last Thursday night with the intention of occupying it, after one of the factions (Dowuona) in the chieftancy dispute told the police that it had an extract from the National House of Chiefs withdrawing recognition for Nii Nortey Owuo III, the occupant of the palace, for which reason they did not want him to occupy the palace.
After asking for assistance to occupy the palace, which was turned down by the police unless there was a court order to that effect, some members of the faction, contracting people from Nima, stormed the palace in a bid to carry out their intention.
The police, however, moved in and arrested them.