Trial of Ofosu Ampofo, Kweku Boahen begins July 8
The trial of Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and Anthony Kweku Boahen, National Chairman and Deputy Communication Director of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) respectively, is set to begin on July 8, 2019, at the Accra High Court.
The accused were said to have allegedly incited communicators of the party to attack Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, and Chairman of the National Peace Council.
The court fixed the date for trial, following the dismissal of three applications filed by counsel for the accused.
The two are charged with conspiracy to cause harm and two counts of assault to public officers.
In his application, Mr Tony Lithur, counsel for the NDC Chairman, asked the court presided by Justice Samuel Asiedu, to strike out the assault charge against Mr Ampofo, arguing that the charges against his client were defective.
Mr Lithur contended that prosecution should be made to provide particulars of the charges, however, the court held that the charges were grounded in law and that they are not fatal to the trial.
The court also dismissed the application of Mr Boahen, who raised alibi, an indication that he was not present where the alleged offence was committed.
His counsel, Dr Basit Aziz Bamba, urged the court to compel the prosecution to furnish his client the exact time the offence was committed, but the judge took the view that prosecution was not obliged to do so.
The accused, who were granted GH¢100.000 bail each with a surety, were said to have been secretly recorded on their plot of attack, on the target persons in an audio, which had since gone viral.
When they were arraigned for the first time on April 16, 2019, Mr Lithur told the court that his client could not speak about the alleged leaked tape because it was doctored.
Mr Lithur said he would address the court on invasion of his client’s privacy, as they relate to the constitutional breach of Mr Ampofo’s rights.
Dr 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.
He contended that the charges against the Deputy Communications Officer of the NDC were not grounded in the law.
Miss Gloria Afua Akuffo, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, prosecuting, said, Mr Boahen faces only a charge of conspiracy to cause harm, while his colleague was charged with all the three counts.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
