State prays for definite date for commencement of former Ivorian Minister's trial

Accra Nov. 7, GNA- The state on Wednesday prayed the Osu District Magistrate Court to give it a definite date so that the trial of Justin Katinan, an ally of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, could start.    Katinan is to be extradited to Cote d’Ivoire to stand trial for alleged charges of robbery and murder.        Mr Matthew Amponsah, Chief State Attorney, said they were filing the necessary documents for the extradition process and needed a definite date for trial to commence.   Mr Patrick Sorgbodzor, counsel for Katinan, expressed his surprise at the submissions by the prosecution saying that it was the fourth time the state had made such a declaration.   According to Mr Sorgbodzor it seemed the prosecution was not ready to start the process as such his client must be allowed to have his liberty.   The court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh, the Magistrate, urged the defence counsel to bear with the state and adjourned the case to December 20.   Katinan was earlier on put before the Osu District court following charges of robbery preferred against him but was granted a GH50,000 cedis bail.   However, on October 1, he was brought before an Accra Magistrate court charged with conspiracy to murder and two counts of murder.   Katinan was said to have conspired with one Dalo Desire in Cote d’Ivoire to murder two men at Port Bouet in the Ivorian city of Abidjan.   According to the report, the first murder of a 33-year-old welder, Kamagate Seyobou, took place on March 19, 2011 while the second one, of Diabate Drissa, 37, a trader, also took place on March 29, 2011, both at Port Bouet.   A complainant, known as Kamgate Bakary, reported the incident to the Ivorian authorities.   On September 29, this year, Ivorian authorities issued a warrant in respect of Katinan and informed the Ghanaian authorities that he was in Ghana and demanded his arrest.   GNA... Read Full Story