A Kumasi Circuit Court has granted a GHC100,000 bail with two sureties, to Manhyia South NDC organiser Alhassan Mustapha.
Mustapha was summoned for questioning before the Ashanti Regional Police CID for allegedly threatening violence in the run-up to the 2024 elections.
He has pleaded not guilty to charges of offensive conduct and threats of death over his alleged inflammatory remarks captured in a viral video.
Making his first appearance on Thursday (29 February) state prosecutors prayed the court to remand the suspect while police advance their investigations. But the court rejected the request after lawyers for the accused person pushed for his freedom.
“My client was invited [by the police] and not arrested”, said Evans Amankwah, the lead counsel for the accused person. “It was yesterday around 10:30 pm that we had a call that he was supposed to come to court today. When we came to court the facts and the charges were read and he pleaded not guilty interestingly the police vehemently opposed this, but the court exercised its discretion and granted my client bail”.
“Let me use this opportunity to clarify that the NDC has no intention to plunge this country into flames. Everybody in this country knows that come 2024 John Mahama will win this election…So, I will advise our people to be very careful and circumspect in all the conversations they have outside”, he added.
The case has been adjourned to 14 March 2024.
Comment justified
However, the Ashanti regional NDC chair, speaking in a media interview, argued that there was nothing wrong with the organiser’s statement because it was triggered by a comment by his NPP associate.
He further declared that, following the comment by the NPP organiser, the NDC is going to be vigilant in this year’s election to avoid any manipulation of the vote.
“Looking at the statement of my organiser, it was a conversation between two gentlemen, one NPP and one NDC organiser. And the NPP person was saying that they are not ready to hand over power if NDC wins 2024, and that was his comment.
“And my organiser said no, you can’t say that. One, we are not happy about the statement he made, but we are not going to sit down for somebody to intimidate us in this election, 2024. That’s what I’m saying, nobody can intimidate us and no matter what, NDC is going to be vigilant, and we are going to win the 2024 elections.”
He also debunked a claim circulating that the organiser had been declared wanted by the police and urged the media to retract any publications to that effect.
Similar case
The clip raised concerns about potential unrest as Ghana gears up for the general election.
In 2023, the Ghana Police Service arraigned the NDC youth organiser in Suame, Razak Koampa Avoliya, for making similar comments. That case is still pending at the Asokwa Circuit Court.
Reporting by Jonathan Ofori, Ashanti Region
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