General News of Saturday, 19 December 2020
Source: theheraldghana.com
The trigger-happy man, whose gunshots at the Ablekuma Central Constituency Collation Centre in the just-ended elections, leading to the death of one Ibrahim Abass, a polling agent of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has been thrown into police custody by an Accra Circuit Court.
The accused, Collins Kwaku, alias Kola, per his lawyer, Faisal Cisse is employed as a National Security Officer at the Operations Department of the Office of the President, Jubilee House manned by ex-National Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lord Commey, but currently the Director of Operations at the Presidency.
Kola, is accused of shooting five persons, including a police officer and a journalist at the Odorkor Police Church collation centre on Election Day.
What is strange is that Kola is not licensed to carry a gun.
The late Ibrahim Abass, and Kola are said to have grown up in the same vicinity and therefore knew each other.
Other victims of Kola, included Chief Police Inspector, Nixon Awuni, Arafat Gibril and Pius Asiedu Kwanin, a Journalist with TV3, Pius Kwanin, and another journalist with the Global News Watch, as well as Rashid Umar alias Red, a trader and NDC Vice Chairman of Sabon Zongo, Doreen Ampofo of GBC Radio and Ibrahim Abass who eventually died on Wednesday.
Ibrahim Abass, Arafat Gibril and Pius Asiedu Kwanin, were admitted at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and Ridge Hospital respectively.
But on Wednesday morning, news of the sudden demise of Ibrahim Abass who was receiving treatment at the ICU of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital came out.
In line with Islamic practices, Ibrahim Abass, will be buried at the Awudome Cemetery in Accra per his religious beliefs.
Kola, was arraigned on six counts, including causing harm, possession of firearms without lawful authority and using offensive weapons without legal authority.
He pleads not guilty to all charges.
Kola, is said to have fired indiscriminately into the crowd at a collation centre in the Ablekuma South Constituency after having a brief discussion with the Member of Parliament of the Constituency.
His lawyer, Faisal Cisse, pleaded for bail for his client, arguing that his client is a public officer and not a flight risk, but the Circuit Court judge Emmanuel Essandoh, denied the bail application and adjourned proceedings to Thursday, December 24, 2020.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Journalist Association, has promised to follow the case through to the end.
GJA General Secretary, Kofi Yeboah, who was in court said that the GJA will ensure "we get justice for first and foremost our brother Pius Asiedu and the two other victims who suffered injuries."
There were shooting incidents across the country on Election Day leading to many deaths.
At Odododiodoo two persons lost their lives to gunshots. It includes a 15-year female.
At Techiman South, about four people lost their lives, including a woman and a tipper truck driver.
Videos of the Techiman South shooting incident have since gone viral with the lifeless body of a man lying in a pool of blood after men dressed in Police and military uniform went shooting into the crowd.
Other videos taken from a hospital show some NDC supporters gasping for their last breath.