The mobile phones of Shatta Wale and his team mates are still in possession of the police from the time of their arrest which an Accra Circuit Court has ordered its release.
Jerry Avenorgbo, the lawyer for Shatta Movement members drew the attention of the Judge, Emmanuel Essandor that the mobile phones of his clients were confiscated upon his clients’ arrest and are with the police since.
In his argument, his clients largely depend on mobile phone in their day to day activities as a result of the industry that they find themselves in, without it their work would be greatly affected.
He further argued that all the information the police would need for their investigation are already on social media and as such going through his clients’ phones would breach their privacy.
Judge Emmanuel Essandor thus ruled that “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.”
The case has been adjourned to December 7, 2021.
By Nana Kwesi Coomson