NDC Congress Violence: My Court erred, retake plea of convict

The trial judge hearing the case of three vigilantes who were arrested in connection with the violence that characterised the December 18 Congress of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has said the court “erred” in taking the plea of convicted Dauda Mohammed Nasir.

The Circuit Court presided over by His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah after listening to the parties said his court erred in allowing his clerk to do the Hausa language interpretation.

The court also said It is clear on records that the court to didn’t do enough to let him know his rights.

His Honour Samuel Bright Acquah also said the court should have found out if he wanted to go on without counsel and whether the accused understood his plea or not.

The court said it did not “know whether the clerk who interpreted the Hausa language to the convict really understood the language he interpreted to the convict.

To this, the court said it “erred” and when “the court erred” it does have the right to correct that since trial ends after sentencing, not conviction.

The Prosecutor said, the accused persons and others at large were given GH$50.00 each as pocket money and on the same day, suspect Jango, currently in police custody organized the rival group including 3rd accused from Berekum and its environs to further the interest of Hannah Bissiw and Brogya Gyamfi won their respective positions.