Court Restrained Young Patriots

The Accra Circuit Court yesterday restrained members of the Young Patriots of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from carrying out their intended demonstration scheduled for today, January 8, 2013.
 The court, presided over by Mrs Naa Adoley Azu, a High Court judge sitting as an additional Circuit Court judge, further ordered that the event be postponed to a date beyond January 9, 2013.
The decision of the court was to allow the deployed police personnel to complete their assigned functions related to the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama.
It was also to allow the police to perform their function of keeping the peace during demonstrations in the interest of public safety and security.
According to the Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Freeman Tettey, the leadership of the group had been duly served with the notice.
The court’s notice was to Mr Hopeson Adoye, the President of the Yong Patriots, as well as two other executive members of the group, Mr Richard Nyamah and Mr John Kumah.
Mr Tettey explained that the group had written to the police to seek their assistance to embark on a demonstration soon after the inauguration of the President.
He indicated that the police held a series of meetings with the group and impressed on it to cancel its intended demonstration, as police personnel deployed for the inaugural ceremony would still be at post even after the event.
He said despite several interactions, the leaders of the group insisted that they would embark on the demonstration, with or without the support of the police.
The decision of the group compelled the police to go to court to obtain a restraining order.
Mr Tettey said should the group go against the ruling, the police would employ every lawful means to stop the members from demonstrating.