The Asokwa District Court today has convicted the 13-member Pro NPP vigilante group 'Delta Force'.
The accused persons pleaded guilty to two (2) counts of conspiracy to commit crime and rioting.
Their Lawyer, Federick Kankam Boadu pleaded for non custodial sentence for them.
However, the court presided over by His Worship Korkor Achaw Owusu fined each 1,800 Ghana cedis and in default 12 months imprisonment.They were also made to a sign a bond to be of good behavior for 12 months.
The 13 were arrested after they stormed the office of the newly appointed Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei, in March and assaulted him in the process, in protest against his appointment.
They were initially charged with conspiracy to assault a public officer, and causing unlawful damage.
Those charges were reviewed to only rioting by the Kumasi Circuit Court on October 10.
The public was however left stunned when, at their first appearance in court, the 13 escaped from lawful custody, after their compatriots sparked confusion in the court in protest of the Judge’s ruling that the 13 be remanded and not be granted bail.
After the judge’s decision to remand the suspects, the members said they were not going to allow the ruling to stand, and demanded that the 13 leave the court with them.
The 13 later reported themselves to the police, and were fined GHc2,400 each, and also made to sign a bond of good behavior for escaping lawful custody.
Eight Delta Force members were accused of aiding the escape and were charged with storming the court to release the 13.
But the charges were eventually dropped under controversial circumstances by the State for lack of evidence.
The Attorney-General’s Department later said it had not sanctioned the state prosecutor in Kumasi to drop the case involving the eight who raided the court.
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