A man who was arrested for breaking an AMA padlock and preventing Assembly officials from performing their legal duties has been granted GH₵8,000 bail with two sureties by the District Magistrate Court at the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), which is presided over by Her Worship Mrs. Vera Aryeetey.
When Gilbert Benson appeared in court on Thursday, he entered a not guilty plea to the charges of obstruction of public officers and breaking an AMA padlock.
The prosecutor, Nii Okine Aryee, presented the facts that Mr. Benson was arrested for allegedly breaking a padlock that the AMA had placed on his shop facility and forcibly preventing authorised officers of the Assembly from carrying out their official duties in compliance with the Assembly’s bye-laws.
He informed the judge that the accused’s actions were against the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (Notices and Obstruction) Bye-Laws, 2017, which criminalise interfering with or obstructing AMA officials in the course of their work.
The court granted the accused GH₵8,000 bail with two sureties to be justified, according to Her Worship Mrs. Vera Aryeetey, who is presiding over the case. The hearings were then postponed till November 12, 2025, for further consideration.
Speaking during the proceedings, Mr. Gilbert Nii Ankrah, the AMA’s Head of Public Affairs, clarified that the accused’s shop had been locked when he enquired as to why his truck was discharging items at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, which was against Assembly rules.
He warned citizens and business owners in the city to follow the instructions of authorised AMA officials, reminding them that it was illegal under the Assembly’s bylaws to obstruct or resist officials who were lawfully carrying out their duties. He also threatened to take strong legal action against anyone who attempted to tamper with AMA padlocks, seals, or interfere with enforcement efforts.
Instead of using acts of defiance against Assembly officials, he also advised individuals to direct any issues through the proper administrative and legal channels.
Source: newsthemegh.com