The Asokore Mampong District Court in the Ashanti Region has remanded 39 students of the Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational Institute in connection with acts of vandalism that occurred in the school.
Out of the 39 accused student, 27 are juveniles.
All of them have been charged with conspiracy to commit a crime to wit, unlawful entry, causing unlawful damage, and stealing. Their plea was not taken.
Lawyers for the students prayed the court to grant bail to their clients, but the prosecution argued against the request.
The court presided over by Mr Samuel Buaben Quansah described the prayer for bail as premature, and asked the police to remand the young offenders in police custody and the juveniles at a juvenile home.
The case has been adjourned to February 2, 2023.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Blagodzi, Head of legal and prosecution, Ashanti Regional Police Command, said other students or suspects were being sought and kicked against the granting of bail.
Meanwhile, the school has been closed down indefinitely, following the disturbances by a group of students last Sunday.
The rampaging students destroyed the lighting system, dining hall and food in the storeroom.
Commenting on the disturbances, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, said students who vandalised school property would bear the cost of repairs.
According to the minister, “the time when students who indulge in such vandalism are made to sign a bond and government foot such bills is past”.
“They will pay the cost of damage to serve as deterrent to other students. Any student involved in the vandalism will not be allowed to enter the school’s premises unless they pay for the repair of property damaged “.
The Minister was speaking to journalists after a crunch meeting of the District Security Council (DISEC), on Monday.
A five member committee, headed by Justice Samuel Obeng Diawuo, Justice of the Appeal Court, has been set up to go into the incident.
The students, who appeared before court, were among a group that ran amok, and vandalised school property running into thousands of Ghana cedis accusing the school authorities of being responsible for poor examination results by their predecessors.
The Ghanaian Times also gathered that the students complained about severe punishment meted out to them by teachers for the slightest mistake.
Six cars have been destroyed by the students, four of them belonging to the school and two private ones belonging to teachers.
Property destroyed also included bungalows for senior house mistress, her car, school’s notice board, stores and food stored there.
Some of the things the students destroyed are beyond repairs, including the principal’s vehicle which was provided by government.
The students take part in the National Vocational Training Institute (NVTI) Certificate Two and National Business and Technical Examinations Board (NABTEB) Certificate examinations.
Earlier, the Senior House Master of the School, Agyen Emmanuel, in a telephone chat said, “we do not even know which results they are talking about, the fact certificates for 2021 and 2022 are yet to be released”.
Krobea Asante Technical Institute was established in the year 1999 by Nana Susubribi Krobea Asante, the Omanhene of Asokore Traditional Area.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
