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TWENTY OUT of the 22 persons arrested on Tuesday in connection with the Madina riots were yesterday put before an Accra Circuit Court for unlawful assembly. The accused persons, who are mostly youth in their 20s, allegedly wielded weapons and clashed with the police after they went on rampage and locked up the premises of Faith Baptist School Complex in Madina, a suburb of Accra, during a demonstration without police permission. The accused persons, who are mainly artisans and traders, include Abdul Hamid alias Turam, Adam Mohammed, Alidu Hamidu, Bala Camal, James Fadama, Anas Matire, Abubakar Alhassan, Salifu Halidu, Tahiru Kadri, Monsuro Musah and Musah Abubakari. The rest are Gibriru Massawoud, Musah Mahmoud, Tahiru Ali, Zibrim Abubakar, Aminu Salifu, Baki Salifu, Jerry Ian Mcwills Gomelessio and Mohammed Raffi. They were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, unlawful assembly and riot with weapons, two counts of causing unlawful damage and two counts of assault on public officers. Counsel for the accused persons, George Assamaney, prayed the court presided over by Eric Kyei Baffuor to grant bail to his clients because they were innocent persons who happened to be at the scene of the offence at that time. Their pleas were not taken and they were remanded on the orders of the trial judge, at the instance of the prosecuting officer, DSP Kofi Blagodzi, who told the court that the charges were provisional. The prosecutor prayed the court to give a short adjournment of the case to enable the police to conclude their investigations. Judge Kyei Baffuor adjourned the case to May 23, 2011, for the police to conclude investigations so the accused persons would be properly charged. Presenting the facts of the case, DSP Blagodzi told the court that on Monday, May 16, 2011, Rev. Joseph Oduro Yeboah, Assistant Headmaster of Faith Baptist School located at Madina Zongo Junction, came to the police station at Madina with Mrs Kate Osafo Oduro and Mrs. Cater Osafo, with a report that a section of the Madina Zongo community had threatened to embark on a demonstration at the school premises. He said the suspects planned to protest against a piece of land lying adjacent to the Hollywood Hotel in Madina. According to him, on receipt of the information, the complainant in the case, Chief Inspector Boadu, led a team to the said location on observation and on arrival noticed that red bands had been tied to the main gates of the school and fastened with padlocks. The police officer said the police unlocked the gate for school children to gain access to their classrooms while the Assemblyman for the area, a certain Abdul-Rahman and opinion leaders were invited to see the Madina District Commander for them to deliberate on the issue on May 17, 2011. The police, the prosecutor stated, told the Assemblyman to advise the people not to do anything that would generate violence. However, that same day, the police were later informed that the road leading to the Zongo Township had been blocked and that demonstrators had gathered at the Zongo Junction. Explaining further, DSP Blagodzi said the police went to the scene and asked if they had formally informed the security agency but there was no answer from them. He noted that the rioters set a fire but the police extinguished it and managed to bring the situation under control before the arrival of the Assemblyman. According to him, a few minutes after the arrival of Abdul-Rahman, several people started throwing stones and missiles at the police, damaging the windscreens of two police vehicles and hurting two officers, G/Cpl Emmanuel Okyere and L/Cpl, Mahama Adams. The police officer stated that the suspects entered the school premises and destroyed properties belonging to the school and individuals, while students were writing their West Africa Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). He said the rioters later marched to the Madina Police Station where they threw missiles and stones, compelling the police to call for reinforcement. The prosecutor told the court that 20 of the suspects have been arrested while investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend the rest.