The Accra Circuit Court on Tuesday refused to grant bail to Prophet Daniel Nkansah, the flag bearer of the New Vision Party (NVP), and remanded him in police custody.

The bail decline came after the court had asked the defence counsel to write formally to the court for the bail.

The counsel of Prophet Nkansah, Mr C. K. Hoeyi, was absent but another lawyer held brief for him and orally prayed the court to grant bail to the accused person.

Besides, a state attorney told the court, presided over by Mr Francis Obiri, that they had just received a docket on the case and were yet to file an affidavit in opposition to the bail application.

The defence lawyer assured the court that he would file the affidavit by June 9, this year.

The court, therefore, remanded the leader of the New Pentecostal Church in police custody to reappear on June 9,

2014.

Last adjournment

The court last Friday, June 2,2014, declined a bail application put in by his counsel,Mr C. K. Hoeyi, who stated that while the offence committed by Prophet Nkansah was unbailable, "the discretion to grant bail lies with the judge".

Bench warrant

The court had earlier issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Prophet Nkansah in February when he failed to appear in court after several notices had been served on him.

Alleged robbery

Prophet Nkansah is standing trial for his alleged involvement in a robbery case together with his son, Daniel Boahene Nkansah Junior, a student, and eight others.

They were said to have allegedly attacked and robbed five workers of the XY Canis Majoris Company Limited of GH<t57,000, a Sony video camera, mobile phones, a computer and accessories, cheque books and certificates.

The eight suspects include Joseph Tetteh, Otukunor Sackey, James Quansah Afful, Emmanuel Salami Azumah, Samuel Kwalcu and Richard Annor Baidoo.

Boahene Nkansah, who appeared before the court at the previous trial and pleaded not guilty to the charges, was granted bail.

Background

Prosecuting at the last proceedings, Chief Inspector of Police, Emmanuel Afful, told the court that the complainants were workers of XY Canis Majoris Company Limited.

He disclosed that in December 2013, one Mr Andam, the Chief Executive Officer of the company located near Atico, near Kaneshie in Accra, rented four stores from Prophet Nkansah for a period of 10 years and paid GH<tlll,680 as rent advance.

The company was using three out of the four stores, while the prophet's son, Boahene Nkansah, was occupying the remaining one, the prosecutor said.

He said on February 1,2014, the CEO and his workers approached Boahene Nkansah and asked him to vacate the store to enable them to move in, since his occupation stood contrary to the agreement they had with his father.

However, after the meeting, a brawl ensued but Mr Andam and his workers ignored it and resumed work in their offices.

"When Boahene Nkansah informed his father about the brawl, Prophet Nkansah went to the company's premises in the company of eight men aboard his pickup, armed with cutlasses and other offensive weapons, to attack Mr Andam and his workers," he said.

Mr Afful said the accused persons made away with the personal belongings of the workers and the case was reported to the police, who arrested Nkansah.