The Asokwa District Court in Kumasi has sentenced the 13 members of the Delta Force vigilante group to a fine of GH₵1,800 each for conspiracy and rioting on March 25 .

The 13 members are to serve 12 months in jail in default.

The court presided over by Korkor Achaw Owusu has also ordered the members to sign a bond of good behaviour for 12 months.

The 13 pleaded guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit crime by rioting. Their counsel, Frederick Kankam Boadu, pleaded for non-custodial sentence for them.

The 13 were initially facing charges of conspiracy to assault a public officer, and causing unlawful damage in April 2017.

The prosecutor, ACP Okyere Darko, told the court presided over by Her Honor, Mary Nsenkyire Tuesday October 10, that, the Attorney General had withdrawn all the earlier charges.

They were later charged with two counts of conspiracy to commit crime by rioting.

The 13 were arrested after they stormed the office of the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator and allegedly assaulted him in the process, in protest against his appointment.

The initial charges – conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage – was changed on October 10 to conspiracy to commit a crime by rioting to which they pleaded guilty.

The fine brings their total fines to ¢4,200 each after they were earlier slapped with ¢2,400 each for escaping jail last April after the court refused to grant them bail.

At their first appearance in court, the 13 escaped from lawful custody, when the Judge ruled that they be remanded and not given bail.

Source, otecfmghana.com