Ghana: New Jury Sworn-in

Helena Selby

23 June 2011

A new seven-member-jury has been sworn-in before an Accra Fast Track High Court (FTC) yesterday, to aid in the trial of three soldiers allegedly accused of murdering the former Northern Regional Chairman of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Alhaji Issah Mobilla.

This followed an order from the Supreme Court to freshly start trial of the case, which had commenced for several months, until it was stalled by the incapacitation of one of the jury, who were originally sworn-in to deal with the case.

The accused persons include Cpl. Appiah Yaw, Private Modzaka Eric and Private Seth Gokah, who had been declared “Absent without Official Leave” (AWOL) by the 1st Infantry Battalion (1BN) at Michel Camp, where they were held after being transferred from Tamale, where they were previously standing trial.

All the accused persons are facing two counts of conspiracy and murder of Issa Mobila, who was also the then Chairman of the Tamale/Bolgatanga branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).

Cpl. Appiah Yaw and Private Modzaka Eric had pleaded not guilty and they are being held in custody as the case is being adjudicated by Justice Mustapha Habib Logoh.

The court indicated that the juries are the judge of the facts and that the final decision of the matter rest with them. He said any decision arrived at is based on the evidence in court and that the media has the responsibility of bringing out an accurate reportage. The case has been adjourned to July 6, 2011.

The facts of the case indicated that all the three accused persons were on duty at the Kamina Barracks at Tamale in the Northern Region, with 1st accused Cpl. Appiah Yaw, being the Commander of the Guards, under whose protection the deceased person, Issa Mobila, before his death was placed.

Issa Mobila had surrendered himself to the police in Tamale, when he got information from his wife that the police were looking for him, after the latter had gone to the house of the former on December 9, 2004, to arrest him, for suspecting that he had supplied the youth with guns and ammunitions the previous day to cause mayhem in the heat of political campaigning in the region.

The deceased was then arrested and detained in respect of a gun-firing incident in the late hours of December 8, 2004, at Werizehi, a suburb of Tamale, after the police took a caution statement from Issa Mobila.

The police further impounded a BMW car with registration number GR 2772 Q, belonging to the deceased, and conducted a search, but found nothing incriminating.

The court was told that subsequently, the police had information that the youth were going to besiege the police station for the possible release of Issa Mobila, as a result of which, during a meeting of the Regional Security Council, a decision was taken to transfer the then CPP Regional Chairman to the Military at Kamina Barracks for safekeeping.

The prosecution told the court that the police handed over the deceased at about 3:00pm, fit and sound, to the Military at Kamina Barracks. However, Issa Mobilla was taken to the Medical Reception Station (MRS) of the barracks at about 8:00p.m, with mass of violence all over his body and pronounced dead.

AllAfrica – All the Time