An Accra Fast Track Court (FTC) has ordered the Military to produce one of the accused persons standing trial for the murder of the former Northern Regional Chairman of the Convention People's Party (CPP), Alhaji Issa Mohammed, also known as Issa Mobila.

The court, presided over by Justice Senyo Dzamefe, gave the orders yesterday, after the court was informed during the first appearance of the trial of the alleged murderers, transferred from the Tamale High Court, that Private Gokah Seth had escaped from lawful custody.

W.O.1 Amoako and Lt. Andoh, both from the Military Police unit, who escorted the accused persons, told the court that the Guard Commander of the 1st Battalion, at Mitchell Camp, informed them that Private Gokah, who was kept in the Military Guard Room, had escaped from custody.

The accused persons, Cpl. Appiah Yaw, Private Modzaka Eric and Private Gokah Seth, currently at large, are facing two counts of conspiracy and murder of Issa Mobila, who was also the then Chairman of the Tamale/Bolgatanga branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU).

The plea of the accused persons, who are to be tried by a panel of jury, had not been taken; however, the court has adjourned sitting to November 26 2009, for continuation.

Mr. Thaddeus Sory, counsel for the accused persons, who indicated that he heard about the appearance of the case in court through a newspaper publication, further noted that he was yet to speak with his clients. Additionally, the court had made an order that court documents in respect of the trial of the accused persons should be made available to counsel.

Before the panel of jury for the trial takes its official duty, the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Ms. Gertrude Aikins requested that her office would like the jury to be sequested, considering the sensitive nature of the case. She has, therefore, indicated that the Attorney General's Department would file a motion today to that effect.

The three accused persons were on duty at the Kamina Barracks at Tamale, in the Northern Region, with First accused, Cpl. Appiah Yaw being the Commander of the guards, in whose custody the deceased person, Issa Mobila was before his death, placed under protection.

Issa Mobila had surrendered himself to the police in Tamale, when he got information from his wife that the police were looking for him after the latter had gone to the house of the former on December 9 2004, to arrest him for suspecting that he had supplied the youth with guns and ammunitions the previous day, to cause mayhem during the heat of political campaigning in the region.

The deceased was then arrested and detained in respect of some gun firing incidence in the late hours of December 8 2004, at Werizehi, a suburb of Tamale after the police took a cautioned statement from Issa Mobila.

The police further impounded a BMW with registration number GR 2772 Q, belonging to the deceased and conducted a search but found nothing incriminating. The court was told that subsequently, the police had information that the youth were going to besiege the police station for possible release of Issa Mobila, as a result of which during a meeting of the Regional Security Council, a decision was taken to transfer the then CPP Regional Chairman to the Military at Kamina Barracks for safe upkeep.

Prosecution told the court that the police handed over the deceased at about 3:00pm fit and sound to the Military at Kamina Barracks, however, Issa Mobilla was taken to the Medical Reception Station (MRS) of the barracks at about 8:00pm with mass of violence all over his body and pronounced dead.