The Tamale Circuit Court, presided over by Francis Asobayireh, has granted bail to Abdul-Fatawu Alhassan, the Registrar of the Dagbon Traditional Council, in the sum of GHc100,000.
The accused is facing charges of alleged kidnapping and assault of Gbambu Chief Mohammed Mahamadu in the Gushegu District.
In addition to the bail sum, Alhassan is required to produce one surety who resides within the court’s jurisdiction in Tamale.
He is also mandated to report to the Yendi Divisional Police Command every Thursday at 3 pm.
Alhassan, who was represented by counsel Jawson Kwame, pleaded not guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, kidnapping, and assault under the Criminal Offences Act of 1960 (Act 29).
After a lengthy legal argument, the court admitted Alhassan to bail.
The court also ordered Alhassan to advise his co-accused, Checo Naa Abdul-Iddi, and other accomplices to appear voluntarily in court on the next adjourned date, September 3, 2025.
The court warned that it would not hesitate to issue bench warrants to enforce their appearance if they fail to comply.
Brief facts
It is the case of the prosecution that, on July 16, 2025, after the Gbambu Chief Mohammed Mahamadu was seen addressing a press conference challenging the authority of the overlord Yaa-Naa Abukari II in the Nanton chieftancy dispute, the accused alleged that the overlord is the one creating division since he installed a new Paramount chief for the area.
It said, days after the press conference, a viral video circulated on social media that showed four gunmen with AK-47s driving into his community, breaking into his residence at night, and abducting Gbambu Naa to an unknown location.
The prosecution said, on July 20, 2025, a viral video circulated on social media where the kidnap chief, Mohammed Mahamadu, was seen in an office being interrogated and assaulted in the company of the alleged accused person, Abdul-Fatawu and others.
The viral video generated a lot of tension within the Dagbon kingdom despite the allegation that the said chief used unprintable words on the overlord during the press conference in Nanton.
However, the IGP ordered a full-scale investigation into the abduction and assault of the Gbambu Chief.
Ghana Police Service Northern Regional Command launched a full-scale investigation after engaging the overlord of the Dagbon Kingdom, Naa Abukari II, in the matter for the release of the chief.
The police interrogation with the victim and further investigation identified the key ringleaders as Registrar of Dagbon Traditional Council, Abdul-Fatawu, and Checo Naa Abdul-Iddi, who were the persons who authorised the kidnapping of the chief, with two others who are on the run.
The four accused persons were summoned on July 30, 2025, by the Northern police command in Tamale to assist in the investigation.
The Registrar of the Dagbon Traditional Council, Abdul-Fatawu, who honoured the summons, was charged and subsequently granted police-enquiring bail.
The accused was subsequently charged with the offence, and the court case was adjourned to September 3, 2025.
The 1st accused person, Alhassan Fatawu, met the bail conditions, and bail has been executed for him to reappear on 3/09/2025. Investigations continue to arrest the suspects at large.
Source: Starrfm
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