A Weija Circuit Court in the Greater Accra region, has granted bail to the commercial driver and his mate accused of assaulting a police officer.

A team of nine legal practitioners led by Martin Kpebu argued their clients were safe only if removed from the custody of the police.

They told the court the two Francis Buabeng,26yrs, Albert Ansah,33yrs, had been brutalized by policemen since they were remanded in the custody of the police till April 1.

Photo: L-R Francis Buabeng,26yrs, Albert Ansah,33yrs.

Mr Kpebu said the head of the Criminal Investigations Department personally intervened to get the two moved from police custody to a BNI facility.

There was no representation by the police or state prosecutors even though the lawyers said they had served the Attorney General’s office and the police with notices of the application for bail.

The court admitted the two to bail to the tune of 10,000 cedis each with two sureties. Case has been adjourned to April 1.

On March 14, 2019, the driver and mate engaged in a fisticuff with a police officer, Constable Julius Mawuli Ekpe. The incident went viral after a video footage was uploaded on social media.

The police officer had chased down the driver and his mate using a motorbike after they allegedly tried to escape arrest for an alleged road indiscipline. They were apprehended and put before court four days later.

The accused have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime, causing unlawful damage and causing obstruction and insecurity to other road users. They have both pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

But legal counsel for the two have accused the police of subjecting the accused to beatings while in their custody at the Odorkor police station. They were later transferred to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) over concerns for their safety.

Nine legal practitioners have come to their aid in seeking bail for the commercial driver and mate.