Court Grants Bail to 15 NDC Supporters Accused of EC Office Arson

Fifteen supporters of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) accused of burning the Electoral Commission (EC) office in Asuboi have been granted bail. The bail was granted by the Osino District Court in the Fanteakwa South District of the Eastern Region

The Osino District Court presided over by His Worship Salifu Bugri Ayagiba, set bail at GH₵20,000 for each suspect with one surety.

The arson occurred on December 10, 2024, during protests by a group called Ayensuano Concerned Youth over the MP-elect’s declaration. Ida Adwoa Asiedu was declared MP-elect for the Ayensuano Constituency but unrest led to the EC office being set ablaze. 

The suspects are scheduled to reappear in court on January 14, 2025. The bail was granted by His Worship Salifu Bugri Ayagiba, despite objections from the prosecution.

 Prosecuting Detective Chief Inspector Kamal Salifu Gumah opposed bail, citing ongoing investigations and potential interference by the accused. However, counsel for the accused countered, assuring the court that his clients were well-known in the community and would cooperate with legal proceedings.

The court upheld the defense counsel’s plea and granted bail to the suspects. 

Counsel for the accused said, “We had to come to court to help them, and by God’s grace, we have been able to secure bail for them. We will come back to the case on January 14, 2025.”

“In as much as they have been granted bail, The court has asked them to report to the Kibi police commander to ensure that they are still available. Everyone was granted 20,000gh bail. All the fifteen people were granted bail today.”

He further stated, “These are all accusations, so the evidence is the only thing that shows they did what they are being accused of; until then, it is just a mere accusation. If the police can gather evidence, fine if not, the case will be rubbished.”