The Kaneshie District Court has warned three Cameroonians who appeared before it over illegal registration in the ongoing voters’ registration exercise not to run away when it granted them bail.
“If you run, Ghana will come after you and if you do not come to court, you will be sent to Nsawam Prisons to feel the place,” the Court warned.
Mrs Eleanor Kakra Barnes-Botchway had granted Herbert Agetembom alias Owusu Herbert Osman, 27, marketer, Japhet Vutsileh, alias Owusu Japhet, 23, virtual artist and Shansline Kole, alias Owusu Shansline, 22, seamstress a GH¢20,000.00 bail with two sureties each.
They have been charged for conspiracy to commit crime to wit, registering as a registered voter contrary to Section 23 of the Criminal Act, 1960 (Act 29) and registering as registered voter contrary to Section 24 (a) of Registration of voters’ Public Elections (Registration Regulation), 1995, (C.I. 12)
Agetembom and Vutsileh were additionally charged for abetment of crime, to wit registering as a registered voter contrary to Section 20 of Criminal Act, 1960 (Act 29).
All the three denied the charges and were to make their next appearance on Wednesday, September 2, 2020.
She also cautioned the sureties to ensure the accused persons came to court anytime they were needed for justice to be served.
The Court ordered Prosecution to file all relevant statements including the witness statements before the next adjourned date.
Baba Jamal, their lawyer in applying for bail, said the accused persons would appear before the Court anytime they were needed.
He said they had people of substance to stand as sureties and that they were ready to defend their citizenship as Ghanaians as well as vindicate themselves and families from the false accusations.
Sergeant Apaweh Achana, prosecuting, told the Court that Mr Joseph Yamoah Bentil, an Assemblyman and resident of Kotobabi was the complainant in the case.
He said the accused persons were Cameroonians and lived at Lapaz near the New Market and on July 28, 2020, at about 1100hours, while he was stationed at the Kotobabi Global Evangelical Church Registration Centre as an agent, he became suspicious of Shansline during her registration process.
Prosecution said he raised a protest about her nationality and together with witnesses, alerted the police patrol team to assist.
He said when Shansline was asked, she confessed being a Cameroonian which led to her arrest as well as Agetembom and Vutsileh, her guarantors.
Investigations revealed that the guarantors had earlier registered under the guise of Owusu Herbert Osman and Owusu Japhet at the Kotobabi Prempeh Hotel and the Christ Church of Grace Pig Farm Two Registration Centres, respectively on July 20 and 28.