COURT REMANDS 4 RIOTERS (Daily Graphic, Friday, October 24, 2008 PAGE 31)

THE Bolgatanga Magistrate’s Court has remanded four persons in police custody for their alleged involvement in the rampage at Kongo in the Talensi-Nabdam District in the Upper East Region on Tuesday.
The four, Raphael Azong, 18, a laboratory assistant, Bangin Raymond, 17, a student, Martin Mbugre, 30 and Agandaah Roger, 22, are to re-appear on November 6, 2008, to answer charges of causing damage to state property.
The four were among a group of persons alleged to have dug trenches across some sections of the Bolgatanga-Bawku Highway in Kongo.
In all, a total of 21 trenches, each measuring one metre wide and one metre deep, were dug by the youth ostensibly to make the road impassable.
Their action was in protest against an accident along the highway which claimed the life of the assistant Headmaster of the Kongo Senior High School, Mr Clement Ayindire Adazabra and injured a teacher, Mr Andrew Dagbamah.
As a result of that, a group of young men in the Kongo township went on rampage, smashing car windscreens and injuring a number of police officers.
Despite the presence of the police, including the Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Alhaji Hamidu Mahama and the Regional Road Safety Officer, Mr Alex Ayeta, in the community to seek an amicable settlement to the issue, the youth would not budge as they reportedly blocked the road and dug more trenches.
They also went ahead to smash the rear windscreens of about four vehicles, including that of the official vehicle of the Regional Commander with registration number GP 30, the official vehicle of Mr Ayeta, a police operations vehicle and a Metro Mass bus bound for Bawku.