You Did A Poor Job – Angry Judge Tells Prosecutor Investigating Begoro Land Dispute Case

An angry and disappointed judge sitting on a case of a land dispute between residents of Dedeso and Begoro Traditional Council, threw his courtroom into a state of drama when he told the police investigator in the face that he had done a poor job on the case.

The presiding judge, Kwame Polley, of the Koforidua Circuit Court “B” is said to have told the investigator that he had failed to do due diligence in his probe considering there were deficiencies in the charge sheet presented to the court, reports Daily Guide.

The judge noted that there is no link between the accused persons, the charges against them, and the facts supporting the case.

Daily Guide reports that the judge said "the case is incompetent and cannot stand the test of judicial procedure therefore advised the investigator to go back and do a better job".

According to details of the case as presented in court, some fourteen residents of Dedeso, a VRA resettlement community, are facing charges of conspiracy, causing harm, and causing damage.

The fourteen accused persons have been named as Michael Teye Sackey, Richard Naakah and Randolph Tetteh, who are both teachers; Samuel Batsa, Bedasu Kofi Livingston, and Simon Tetteh, all farmers.

The rest, who are all also farmers, are Francis Mausor, Osom Akwetey, Alex Tetteh Bio, Partey Ben, Emmanuel Ahuble, Asare Kofi, Klodu Frederick, and Samuel Agbeitor.

The report added that a 15th accused person, who is still at large, was identified as Bullet.

“The Prosecuting Officer, Chief Inspector Owusu Ababio narrated to the court that on June 26, 2021, at about 9 am, the regent of the Begoro traditional area mobilized a group of men numbering about 20 from Begoro, Apaa, and Nsawam communities armed them with his pump-action gun and cutlasses, hired a Nissan Mini truck with registration number GW 1551-21 and two motorbikes and delegated one Nana Barffuor Bimpong to take them onto the disputed land at Perteifoo Junction.

“On reaching Abuorso police station, Nana Baffour Bimpong Kwakye requested for police escort at which point Constable Kinni Daniel was detailed to escort the group. The Chief asked the armed men to take the lead as he went to Dedeso Police station to request more police officers,” the report added.

The narration continued that the men met some three motor riders and upon identifying the one who they claimed was involved in the disputed land issue, they pounced on him and started beating him.

“The Krobo inhabitants on hearing the incident mobilized and armed themselves with guns and cutlasses and rushed to the scene to fight the thugs.

“They outnumbered the thugs, brutalized, and inflicted multiple cutlass wounds on two of the thugs namely Godfred Blewusi, 29, and Stephen Tetteh, 28. The rioting residents drove two Hyundai mini-trucks to block the road and subsequently set fire into it,” the report added.

It took the police to restore calm to the area even as the police rushed the victims of the confrontation to the Begoro Government Hospital.

The police then effected the arrests of Michael Batsa, Samuel Batsa, and Simon Tetteh at the premises of Begoro District Court, while Randolph Tetteh, an Assembly Member, was pointed out during a parade for his involvement in the fracas.

When they appeared in court at the Koforidua Circuit Court “B”, they pleaded not guilty.