For failing to appear before the Adentan circuit court, Mark Okraku Mantey, the deputy minister of tourism, arts, and culture, has been issued a bench warrant for his arrest.
The deputy minister is accused of breaking the Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act’s Sections 7 (1) and (2).
According to the prosecution, the deputy minister forced his way onto land held by one Alhaji Tony Baba.
Okraku Mantey was scheduled to appear in court yesterday (18 January) to continue the case management meeting in preparation for the trial to begin, but he was unable to do so.
Not only that but his attorney was likewise unavailable at the court, but he obtained authorization from the court.
Superintendent of Police Patience Mario, prosecuting, asked the court for a bench warrant to arrest the defendant.
The warrant was issued by the court, which was presided over by Sedinam Awo Balokah, and the case was adjourned until February 8, 2022.
Information we gathered was that Alhaji Tony Baba, is an estate developer residing in North Legon, Accra.
The complainant was reportedly developing a block of property in Oyarifa High Tension, which the accused person also claimed possession of.
According to the prosecution, the accused traveled to the spot on 3 March last year with three “thugs,” two of them were on a motorcycle and one in his car.
According to the prosecution, the accused individual went to the site for a few hours on March 9th of last year, following which the “thugs” with whom he had previously visited the site returned and reportedly attacked the employees and caused damage to parts of the structure.
According to the report, the complainant reported the incident to the police and named the accused as the perpetrator of the “unwarranted attacks and damages.”
According to the prosecution, the accused individual was contacted during interrogation and asked to report to the police station to assist with the investigation.
More damage was allegedly made to the three-bedroom building on 10 March last year while police were waiting for the accused individual, according to the report, and Okraku Mantey was identified as the one who brought and directed the “thugs” to cause the damage.
According to the prosecution, the complainant’s workers were reportedly attacked again on 3 April last year, injuring two persons.
The injured victims were given police medical documents so they could seek treatment, according to the report.
The building, which had been built to a lintel level and was valued at GHC63,700, allegedly sustained further serious damage on March 20, 2021.
