The three remanded landguards
THE THREE land guards who engaged the police in a clash in an attempt to stop a demolition exercise on the Aviation Land at Adenta, have been dragged to court.
The three, Freeman Aryee aka Nii Aryee, driver, Emmanuel Armah aka Oshiekpa, labourer and Tijani Osman, painter, allegedly opened fire on police officers who were on the land to protect persons instructed to conduct the demolition leading to the death of Adjei Akpor, a member of the land guards.
The three were charged yesterday at an Accra Circuit Court presided over by Francis Obiri with the offence of rioting with weapons. They, however, denied the charges.
A bail application put in by their lawyer was refused by the court and subsequently, they were remanded into custody to reappear on January 20.
The prosecutor Chief Superintendent Duuti Tuaruka informed the court that the complainants are policemen stationed at the Regional Headquarters, Accra, while the accused persons are land guards residing at Adenta, a suburb of Accra.
He indicated that on October 17, 2013, the Government observed that the Aviation Land at Adenta which was secured since 1958 had been encroached on by squatters and other private developers.
As a result of this, the Ministry of Land and Resources sent several warnings to the Chief as well as the squatters to vacate the land but they blatantly refused to comply with the orders.
The prosecutor stated that on December 4, 2013, the police received a letter from the Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to assist the demolition of structures on the land.
Following this, on January 2014, 25 policemen were detailed to assist in the demolition exercise.
DSP Tuaruka said the policemen were detailed to give protection to eight bull dozers which were supposed to conduct the exercise.
While executing the assignment, Freeman and Adjei Akpor, now deceased, allegedly went in for three machetes with the inscription village ?4? and village ?5? respectively, pump action guns, clubs and distributed to the land guards.
According to the prosecutor, the group on receipt of their weapon, moved to the site where one of the bull dozers was working and attacked and smashed the windscreen of the said bull dozer.
The irate land guards allegedly moved to attack the policemen to seize their riffles.
The prosecutor said the deceased who was advancing towards the policemen wielding his machete and chanting ?blood will flow, human beings will die today? ignored police warning to shoot and persuasion to retreat.
This made one of the policemen fired and the bullet hit Adjei Akpor who died instantly.
The irate land guards allegedly joined forces against the police who called for re-enforcement and the accused persons were arrested.
The three cutlasses were seized from them. However, the others managed to escape.
By Mary Anane
