Suame Youth NDC Organiser Remanded

The Asokwa District Court in the Ashanti Region has remanded into police custody the Suame Youth Organiser of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Koampa Razak Avoliya.

He was arraigned in the Court presided over by His Lordship Fred Obikyere.

Reporting for Opemsuo Radio, Johnson Owusu Aduomi said, the court did not take the plea of the accused.

Addressing the media after the sittings, Lawyer for the accused person, Evans Amankwaah said, the prosecutor, ACP Kofi Blagodzi read the offence to the accused person, the particulars of the offence and the brief’s facts.

Owusu Aduomi reports that an application for bail by the accused person’s lawyer was denied on the basis that the case bothered national security.

Lawyer Amakwaah described the denial of bail as “unfortunate”.

“The fundamental basis of bail is to get the accused person to avail himself to stand trial. The accused person has proved beyond a reasonable doubt. When the police issued the statement for his arrest, he willingly tendered himself in with me.”

He said he would not reapply for bail due to the shortness of the adjournment date.

The case has been adjourned to February 14, 2023.

At the court were some Regional Executives of the NDC.

Background
Koampa Razak Avoliya was captured in a viral video inciting NDC youth at Suame to use violence to secure power in the upcoming general elections.

He said, “according to my experience in politics, we can’t defeat the Akufo-Addo administration on paper but with violence and you can’t use violence without casualties.”

“Based on violence we have been subjected to, I have advised the youth to beat up any NPP member because that is the only way we (NDC youth) can survive in this constituency”, he went on.

He added, “If Akufo-Addo killed eight people to win the election, why would it be wrong to kill two to get power…I have advised the NDC grassroots to prepare themselves for that and use sticks or guns if they have to, to win power.”

He also said the national executives of the party endorsed his decision.

Following the circulation of the video, the Ghana Police Service in a brief statement on Monday, February 6, 2023, said the Ashanti Regional Police Command had initiated steps to arrest him.

NDC Defence
But the National Communication officer of the Party, Sammy Gyamfi in a statement said Avoliya failed to get his communication right.

“We note that the young man misspoke, as the message he sought to convey did not come out as intended…While we do not subscribe to violence as a party, except in cases of self-defence, we cannot overlook the genuine sentiment and frustration of people who feel helpless in the face of incessant and unprovoked attacks and killings under Akufo-Addo /Bawumia government.”

According to the NDC, he spoke out of “pain” and must therefore be pardoned.

Sammy said, “it is an indisputable fact that state-sponsored violence and thuggery has been the modus operandi of the Akufo Addo/Bawumia/NPP government. The Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government has benefitted and continues to profit from violence as witnessed in the Ayawaso West Wuogon bi-election, the 2020 Voter Registration Exercise and the 2020 General elections during which eight (8) were murdered by state-sponsored bandits belonging to the ruling NPP.”

He further called out the NPP over their condemnation of Avoliya after President Akufo-Addo’s infamous “All die be die” utterance and other similar utterances by some NPP figures who have gone unpunished.

Arrest
The arrest of Avoliya was announced on Wednesday, February 8, 2023, by the Police.

“The suspect is in Police custody and will be put before court to face justice”, the police said.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini