The Awutu Breku District Court presided over by Her Worship Naomi Kuntor, has apprehended the Awutu Senya West NDC Communications Officer and two others into police custody for five days.
The three, per prior investigations, were arrested for distorting posters of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Awutu Senya West, Eugene Arhin, and Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, on the area’s DRIP equipment.
When TV3 News spoke to the Member of Parliament for the area, Gizella Akushika Tetteh-Agbotui, she said the trial is pure intimidation since her posters were equally removed from the machines.
After the hearing on Thursday, September 12, the court remanded Cassius Larbi, Robert Arthur and one Bright, for five days to reappear on Monday, September 16, 2024.
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive for Awutu Senya West, Moses Arhinful, explains that the situation is far from what is being reported in the media.
According to him, the three persons threatened the life of the person that saw them removing the posters. He says they had to take refuge from a nearby seamstress shop after the chased and threatened to kill him.
He says the threats which were backed by evidence from the eyewitness who gave their statement to the police, saying that was partly responsible for putting the three on remand.
“The destruction of posters itself is happening in all the constituencies so that’s not even the major issue that brought the problem. There is someone close to the district assembly who saw them around the equipment. He said one of them was trying to remove the side mirror of the backhoe machine and asked them to stop because it could give them problem.
“So, they all pounced on him to beat him and he ran for refuge at a seamstress’ shop. They were threatening to kill him and warned him not to sleep in his house if he wants his life. They were holding weapons. So he went to the police to report after the threats. And there were witnesses at where he went for refuge and they all gave their report,” he disclosed.
The DCE also said the three persons also indulged in an act during the visit of the Vice President to the area which accounted for their remand.
“There are also claims that when Dr. Bawumia arrived for the festival, certain things happened and intelligence picked it so it became additional charge. So it is part of the reasons they were remanded to reappear on Monday so it’s not the ordinary posters but the threats involved.”