COVID-19 offences: Kofi Damtse, four others acquitted and discharged

An aspiring Independent Candidate in the Assin South Constituency in the Central Region Mr. Joseph Kofi Damtse, and four others who were being prosecuted for breaching COVID-19 preventive protocol directives were on September 28, 2020 acquitted and discharged by Cape Coast Circuit Court.

Mr. Joseph Kofi Damtse and his colleagues were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, failing to notify the police of special event, failing to comply with the imposition restriction act by organizing a political rally and failing to comply with the compulsory wearing of face mask in relation to breaches of COVID 19 protocols at Assin Aworoso, a community in the Assin South Constituency.

The state prosecutor filed a nolle prosequi (a legal notification when the prosecutor files a formal notice of abandonment of all or part of a suit) indicating discontinuation of the case.

Having thrown in the towel, the court presided over by Her Ladyship Mrs Dorinda Smith Arthur discharged the accused following the State Prosecutor’s filing of the nolle prosequi.

According to sources, the State Prosecutor filed this as a result of insufficient evidence to establish all the four charges levelled against Damtse and four others.

Readers will recall, that on 15th July, 2020, the same Circuit Court Presided over by Her Ladyship Mrs Dorinda Smith Arthur, granted Damtse and 4 others a bail to the tune of GHS 100,000 over these same charges.

However, this current ruling which discharges Damtse and 4 others brings a finality to the charges levelled against them.

Moreso, some constituents revealed that some big wigs in the NPP having realized how well-grounded Mr Damtse is, in the Assin South constituency and the possibility of winning the seat employed thus archaic and Machiavellian tactics to end his political career after he was disqualified from contesting in the recent NPP parliamentary primaries in the Assin South Constituency.

Speaking to Mr Joseph Kofi Damtse after the ruling, one could reasonably conclude that he was hopeful and confident about his innocence in relation to the charges levelled against him from the inception of the case.

He, however, indicated to all residents of the Assin South Constituency to remain calm and maintain the peaceful status quo that had existed in the Constituency since time immemorial and ensured all these sympathizers to remain calm and focused on his campaign to ensure victory is won on December 7th 2020.