By Priscilla Owusu Ansah & Beatrice Oppon
An Accra Circuit Court has directed state prosecutors to conduct a mental assessment on one of the Democracy Hub protestors standing trial at the court to determine whether to continue his prosecution or not.
Lawyers for Thomas Yeboah have argued that he is mentally unstable and incompetent to stand trial. Lawyer Nelson Nobel Amedowornu said the accused has incoherent speech and talks more like someone who needs urgent Psychiatric attention.
The Lawyer said the accused is on bail, but due to his mental situation, he has not been able to get a surety to execute the bail bond.
The Judge further directed the prosecution led by State Attorney Nana Akosua Kusi to facilitate any bail condition that the accused can execute. Thomas appeared before the Court together with leader of Democracy Hub Oliver Barker-Vormawor and eleven others. So far, all the protestors arrested, numbering 53, have been granted bail except Oliver, who remains in custody.
The Court ordered the prosecution to file witness statements by October 22, 2024, and adjourned to October 24, 2024.
In a related development, the court adjourned the case of another group of protestors to November 6, 2024.
State Attorney Nana Akosua Kusi prayed for more time to file Witness Statements. She told the Court that the state has filed the second batch of disclosures.