Five people who were arrested for causing damage to a number of structures and vehicles on a 14.7 acre land at Katamanso, belonging to the New Castle Gate Estates, on Thursday appeared before an Accra circuit court.
The accused persons are Francis Ala Lomo, Estate Agent, Joseph Boadu, Football Coach, Francis Nii Adjei Lomo, Computer Technician, Richard Nii Adjei Okoe, Electrician and Frank Lewis Sai Laryea, Interior Decorator. However one Daniel, an accomplice of the group, is at large.
The accused persons have been charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime, causing unlawful damage and threat of death.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and were remanded into prison custody to reappear on October 17, 2012.
The Prosecutor, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Aidan Dery, said the complainant, Bobby Mensah, is the Director of New Castle Gate Estates .
He said on March 20, 2000, the complainant acquired 14.7 acres of land located at Katamanso near Ashiyie from Nii Otu Akwetey IX, and successfully registered the lease documents with the Lands Commission Secretariat, Accra.
He said the complainant, in his effort to prevent encroachment, started grading the land and put up four single bedrooms on the corners of the land to accommodate his caretakers.
DSP Dery said on September 26, 2012, the accused persons, laying claim to the land on behalf of their family, caused destruction to all the single rooms. A report was made to the Police.
He said whilst investigation was ongoing, the accused, wielding guns, cutlasses and other offensive weapons, threatening to kill the complainant and his work men, chased them out of the land amidst firing of gunshots.
He said the accused persons fired several times on two vehicles, two motorbikes and four barrels which were on the land belonging to the complainant.
He said on October 9, 2012, all the five accused persons were arrested.