NDC Chairman, Communication Officer granted bail

MR Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, the Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and Mr Kwaku Boahen, Deputy Communications Officer of the party, have been granted bail by an Accra high court yesterday, for alleged conspiracy to harm and assault to public officers.

They have each been granted GH¢100,000 bail with one surety for allegedly inciting communicators of the party to attack Chairperson of the Electoral Commission and Chairman of the National Peace Council.

Mr Ampofo and Boahen were said to have been secretly recorded plotting the attack on the target persons in an audio, which had since gone viral.
The accused had pleaded not guilty to all the three counts of conspiracy to cause harm and assault to public officer, and would appear again on May 6, 2019.

Mr Boahen faces only a charge of conspiracy to cause harm, while his colleague was charged with all the three counts.
The prosecutor, Miss Gloria Afua Akuffo, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice represented the state.

Counsel for the NDC Chairman, Mr Tony Lithur, told the court presided by Justice Samuel Kwame Adibu Asiedu, that his client had communicated his inability to speak to the alleged leaked tape because it was doctored.

The counsel said he would address the court at the appropriate time on invasion of privacy of Mr Ampofo as they relate to the constitutional breach of his client’s rights.
Mr Lithur urged Justice Asiedu to grant Mr Ampofo self-recognisance bail, explaining that the NDC Chairman was not a flight risk and that he would not abscond from justice.

Dr Basit Aziz Bamba said his client denied the charges filed against him, and added that Article 19(2) (c) of the 1992 Constitution provides that Mr Boahen was innocent until he is proven guilty by the court.
Counsel contended that the charges against the Deputy Communication Officer of the NDC were not grounded under the law.

Dr Bamba said the charges were not only frivolous, but extremely vexatious, arguing that his client would be entitled to compensation if his innocence is proven at the end of the trial.

Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama and several leading members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) were in court to solidarise with the two members of the NDC.
The Ghanaian Times gathered that President Mahama and some party executives were seated in court at exactly 7:50am before proceedings began an hour later.

Mr Haruna Iddrisu, Minority Leader and former Minister of Trade under the previous administration, Nana Ato Dadzie, a lawyer, and a former Chief of Staff under former President Jerry John Rawlings were in court.
Others were Mr Asiedu Nketiah, General Secretary of the NDC, Joshua Akamba, National Organiser of the party, Mr Peter Otunoko, Deputy General Secretary among others.

The NDC legal team includes Dr Dominic Ayine Akuruntinga, Godwin Kudzo Edudzi Tamakloe, Abraham Amaliba, Baba Jamal and Victor Kojogah Adawudu.

BY MALIK SULLEMANA