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The Accra Circuit Court has ordered the police to release the phones of Dancehall artiste, Shatta Wale and his accomplices.

This comes after the lawyer told the court that the police have confiscated the phones of the Shatta Wale and his accomplices, Kojo Owusu Koranteng, Idris Yusif, and Eric Venator before they were remanded.

At yesterday’s sitting, Jerry Avenorgbo, the lawyer for the accused persons, prayed that the court orders the police to release their phones as it is their source of livelihood.

The lawyer argued that the accused persons largely depend on their phones as entertainers for which reason the continuous withholding of the phones will have dire consequences on them.

Chief Inspector Dennis Terpketey however insisted that the police needed the phones for their investigations but Shatta Wale’s lawyer rebutted, noting that whatever information is needed for investigations is on social media and not their phones.

He further said that keeping their phones amounts to a violation of their rights, adding that the police actually needs a court order to even cease their phones.

After listening to both arguments, the judge, Emmanuel Essandor ruled that the phones be released to Shatta Wale and his accomplices.

“It is not the work of the defence to help the prosecution to do their case. After all, the accused is presumed innocent until proven otherwise. The phones of the accused should be released to them. The alleged offences were allegedly made on social media,” Judge Essandor said.

Background

Shatta Wale was arrested on October 19, 2021, together with his three friends after faking a gunshot attack. The Shatta Movement boss was charged with the publication of false news and causing fear and panic.

His cohorts, Kojo Owusu Koranteng, Idris Yusif, and Eric Venator have also been charged with abetment of crime. Rapper, Medikal was also in court, after five days on remand.

He was remanded by a Circuit Court judge in Accra on October 22, 2021, for brandishing a weapon in a video found on social media.

Medikal has also been charged with the display of arms and ammunition.