39 protesters arrested during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration by Democracy Hub have been remanded.
The group appeared in court today, September 24, 2024, with heavy security presence.
Ten out of the group were charged with conspiracy to commit crime, namely; unlawful assembly.
Nine were also charged with conspiracy to commit crime, namely unlawful assembly, causing unlawful damage, and offensive conduct due to breach of peace.
A group of 11 has been remanded into prison custody, with their case adjourned to October 8.
The remaining nine, tried in a different courtroom, have been remanded into police custody, with their case adjourned to October 11.
They all pleaded not guilty to the charges.
They have also been remanded to reappear on October 8.
The protesters were rounded up at the 37 Military Hospital area after violent scenes and blocking of the main roads, causing gridlock along that stretch.
This came a day after the police issued a stern warning to the organisers of the Democracy Hub demonstration, cautioning that any attempts to continue their protest at the 37 Intersection or other unauthorised locations would be met with the “use of all lawful means possible to ensure the free movement of traffic and prevent undue inconvenience to the general public.”.
A release from the Ghana Police Service said, “In order to keep the peace and maintain law and order, the police were compelled to use all lawful means to restrain them, tow away the vehicle which was causing the blockade. Police have arrested some of the perpetrators while others have run away from the scene”.
Democracy Hub notified the police about their three-day protests against poor governance and economic woes in the country, but they were advised against the demonstrations for security reasons.