Residents of Tema Newtown in the Tema East Constituency have taken to the streets to express their displeasure over the arrest of the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) Parliamentary Candidate (PC) for the area.
Adom News’ Isabella Avi reported on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem Tuesday that the issue started yesterday when the NDC candidate, Issac Ashai Odamtten, was invited to appear before the financial court in Accra.
Later in the day around 3:00 pm, it was reported that the court had finished with its proceedings and that Mr Odamtten had been handed over to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) and subsequently escorted by the anti-graft institution to its office in Tema.
Later in the evening, further reports reaching adomonline.com indicated that Mr Odamtten was accused of fraud and detained at the Tema Community 11 police station.
His detention in police cells was on the back of his inability to meet a bail requirement of GH¢10 million.
Upon hearing this, some youth and party members of the NDC embarked on a protest on the streets of Tema Newtown.
The picketing by the youth has been ongoing since last night through to Tuesday morning.
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The NPP office in the area was ransacked although it was unclear which people were responsible for the destruction.
The police and the military were patrolling the area to maintain law and order.
Meanwhile, the Member of Parliament for the area, Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, has reacted to the arrest of the NDC candidate.
In a statement, he said: “The case being referred to is between their candidate versus the Republic of Ghana with respect to some funds alleged to be misappropriated during his tenure as Mayor of Tema. The report was carried out by EOCO and sent to the office of the Attorney General of the Republic of Ghana.
“The Tema East Constituency NDC candidate and nine others are facing the trial on six counts of financial criminality during his term as the Mayor of Tema.
“The bail conditions are at the discretion of the honourable court of the Republic of Ghana which has nothing to do with our Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Transport.”