The Koforidua Circuit Court presided over by Mrs Cynthia Wiredu, has granted bail in the sum of Gh₵60,000 with one surety to each of the six persons including an Odikro, accused of raiding a Fulani cattle base killing several cattle and wounding others at Sare Ano village near Nkurakan, in the Eastern Region.
The six, who pleaded not guilty on three counts of conspiracy to commit crime, cruelty to animals and possession of illegal weapon, are to come back to the Court on April 28, for trial to continue.
They are Anim Solomon 27, Isaac Darko 60, Joseph Odonkor 54, Eric Mintah 61, Isaac Budu 27, Damptey George 70, (odikro of Ntronang), all farmers who live at Ntronang, Sare Ano and Penkwan, all villages along the Koforidua-Nkurakan highlands.
Police Superintendent Kofi Blagogee, told the Court that the six in the company of 17 others now at large, wielding machetes and guns, were said to have attacked the base on March 15 this year, killing and wounding a number of the animals.
The Court heard that Amadu Abubakar and George Ayisi, complainants in the case on the said date upon receiving a call from one Mohamed Abubakari, his herdsman informing him about the incidence, made a report to the Eastern Regional Command at Koforidua.
The police who proceeded immediately to the scene, found eight cattle belonging to Amadu Abubakar (first complainant) valued at Gh₵28, 000.00 shot dead, five others also valued at Gh₵17, 500.00, had been inflicted with cutlass wounds.
George Ayisi (the second complainant), also found four of his cattle valued at Gh₵14, 000.00 shot dead and six others valued at Gh₵21, 000.00 also inflicted with cutlass and gunshot wounds.
Superintendent Blagogee said the police whiles at the scene, managed to arrest the above mentioned accused persons but the 17 others bolted.
After initial investigations, they were arraigned before court and charged with the offences.
Meanwhile, one gun without any legal document covering it, seized from one of the accused persons together with five cutlasses believed to have been used for the crime, are in the custody of the Police.
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Source: GNA