NPP Chairman, 2 others in court for stealing metals for bridge maintenance

The Oda NPP Constituency Chairman and two other accomplices accused of stealing metals meant for the maintenance of a bridge were granted bail by the Akyem Swedru Circuit Court on Monday.

This was after the Chairman, Awudu Issaka and his accomplices, Ibrahim Issifu and Baba Adams, pleaded not guilty when they appeared before the court.

According to officials of the Ghana Highway Authority, the said metals are valued at GHC40,000.

Sometime in July 2019, while riding in a car with registration number GW 934-13, Ibrahim Issifu and Baba Adams were stopped by the police at a barrier between Oda and Oda Nkwanta.

The prosecutor, Inspector George Oteng, said the suspects carried some heavy metals in the Kia car they were driving.

The police then questioned Ibrahim Issifu about the metals. He claimed ownership but told the officers that he bought them from a Ghana Highway Authority staff.

After the interrogation, the suspects called Awudu Issaka, who spoke to the police to allow the two passage.

The prosecutor said the NPP Chairman intervened, but the two were later arrested and arraigned.

Speaking to the media after Monday’s court proceedings, Awudu Issaka explained that he only intervened because he knew the duo.

He explained that one of them worked as a polling station executive of the party, while the other was a decent businessman in the constituency.

One of the accomplices, Ibrahim Issifu, also explained that “I only called Chairman Awudu to help me pass the police barrier, but I have been wrongly accused.”

The case has been adjourned to May 18.