PRESIDENT RAWLINGS last Monday admitted before millions of his country men that he has a problem Though he couched it in diplomats, he left no one in doubt that he was referring to his famous temper which caused the assault at the Castle.
Describing his tangle with Arkaah at last fortnight's cabinet meeting as 'regrettable", the President conceded that he is "not the best of diplomats" and that sometimes his frankness can cause problems. Said he: "I must admit that sometimes I am not the best of diplomats because my frankness can get in the way".
Without departing from his text for one minute, the President curiously steered away from giving his version of the incident and completing popular perceptions that the ministers employed lying and deceitful tongues to paper over the scandal of the whipping of the vice-president. "I am not here today to speak about what happened. Enough has been said already......", adding in the next breath that he could not "trade a lie for a lie."
Even as he sought to persuade Ghanaians to "work together to pass the test" of peace and stability, he launched into a direct attack on the vice-president who was sitting poker-faced on the front row of the dais with him. Surprisingly, the vice-president's entry into the Independence Square with his wife attracted loud and sustained applause from the largely partisan crowd and his beautiful wife Marian, conjured a wry, knowing smile even as the barbs flew from the President to her controversial husband.
Arkaah was described by the president as a liar in the presence of the assembled crowd and the message was played to millions more on radio and live television. The ceremony was also witnessed by scores of diplomats and foreign dignitaries, including the former President of Zimbabwe and a member of the OAU Eminent Persons Group. "He goes on public platforms and to the local and international media to denounce and tell provocative lies about the government..." lamented the President.
He never pointed to a single lie told by the Veep. His Excellency was, however, grandiose enough to posit that the issue was simply not that between a President and his Vice, though his disdain showed by his inability to refer to Arkaah as his Vice, but instead, "running mate". "It touches on the fundamental basis of democracy, basic common sense and the time-honoured principles that men of honour would normally respect", he said. President Rawlings noted that the quality of leadership provided by his government had led to its ability to sustain stability. In a more that confident posture, he declared that it was the government's commitment to democracy and the rule of law which had received applause and investment from overseas.
In a final flurry on his vice in the couched language he had used throughout, President Rawlings reminded Ghanaians of the relevance of truth, saying "truth means more to me than being President". He added that had politics in the country enjoyed the dignity of basic truth the political instability Ghana had experienced in the past would not have occurred. 'Lying is not only cowardly, but as it gets vicious it gets very destructive. It destroys a home, a community and from high office it can destroy a nation', the President philosophised. He called on Ghanaians not to allow deceitful tongues to crash the nation.
MR. KWAME PIANIM'S declaration for the NPP Presidency last Friday immediately attracted massive support from high ranking and very influential opinion and political leaders within Ghana and beyond. His high profile announcement at the well choreographed press conference attracted the immediate endorsement from the most respected Parliamentarian, Mrs. Hawa Yakubu Ogede, Independent candidate from Bawku who admitted that she would be in his corner because he is an alliance man with solid credentials and excellent grasp of national issues.
Mr. Ya Osafo-Maafo, and NPP Presidential candidate virtually stood down for Pianim's candidacy when he also endorsed Pianim announcement and was actually spotted working for the 57-year-old economic consultant. He was Chairman of the Pianim press conference. Other high energy heavy weights within the NPP who appear to have subsumed their own interests for their "bankable candidate" include Dr. Charles Wereko Brobby an dword on the street is that Dr. Dsane Selby might also surrender his aspirations in favour of the "Man of Peace and Action".
The NPP's political juggernaut in Upper West, Alhaji Imoru Salifu, and chairman of the party in the region (he was the Regional Minister in the second republic) also showed his endorsement by appearing on the sais and was warmly applauded.
Dr. Kofi Amoah, leader of the yet-to-be-registered Ghana Democratic Republican Party, called Chronicle offices on Friday night from California for confirmation of reports of Pianim's candidacy. He immediately promised his support and backing. "That's good for Ghana" he said. Perhaps one of the biggest shot in the arm for Pianim's campaign for the ticket is the report of the open support he has conjured from the most active and influential pivot of opposition support in North America - 34-year old Boakye Agyarko. Boakye is the most sought after chief priest of all the NPP Presidential candidates and he fetes all of them when they visit America. Only Pianim has attracted his unequivocal endorsement so far.
Even before the news settled down, major figures in the NPP's other think-tank, the famous Young Executives Forum showed support for Kwame Pianim The Forum tried to sponsor one of their own-Allan Kyeremanten who later withdrew his friends in the group insist that Allan is Kwame's man though he will not publicly say that when he showed up to -in his words- offer moral support to the NPP aspirant. Though Professor Adu-Boahene's camp remains largely solid and do not appear to be ready to surrender to Pianim, Chronicle gathers that, Mr. Appiah-Menkah, a soap manufacturer is thinking of joining the Pianim bandwagon because he has always told the ageing Prof. that he can no longer support him if Kwame is running. He was on the front pew at the Press conference and sent signals about his intentions.
Adu-Boahen fundamentalists began campaigns to discredit him recently when they said he has not supported the Prof. financially since 1993. There were even reports that he is dancing to the NDC because he wanted to buy a state-owned palm oil plantation for his soap business. Adu's men were hand again distributing dirty handouts near the NPP headquarters last Friday accusing Kwame Pianim of doing business with NDC people. Last fortnight, a meeting of the board of NEW ERA Newspapers financed by Appiah-Menka, Donkor Fordwor and other loyalists, decided to cease funding the paper they set up to support Adu Boahen and produced from his Airport residence.
The paper which started with vicious attacks on Kwame Pianim and other perceived critics of the Prof. including Yours Truly, was managed by Prof. It is now looking for fresh sponsors. This is the second failed project undertaken by being in 1992. Another Adu-Boahen stalwart, Professor Kofi Apraku has also become disillusioned with him over allegations of disbursement and accounting of some "cash matters". One of the more reluctant King Makers is Nana Akufo Addo of the Alliance for Change fame who is reportedly nursing presidential ambitions himself though popular opinion is against any AFC leader seeking to run for this particular office.
Nana, an adroit and silky politician is keeping his options open, and in an interview with Chronicle at Pianim's press conference where mixed with the milling crowd, he said he is thinking about his own political future and not about endorsing anybody yet.
Mr. J. A. Kuffour who has been coming on strong lately appears to be the other candidate of some standing who is resolute about his own ambitions. The NPP last Friday, against a last ditch attempt by Mr. Haruna Esseku, a strong man from Senya Breku and da Racha, okayed an Alliance strategy and strengthened Pianim's chances even more strongly. Other high profile politicians at the dais with Kwame was the PCP women's leader, Professor Adzei Bekoe former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Science and Technology and leading member of the NPP. Dr. Issah Egala of the CPP was also there along with Courage Quashigah who is touted to be the campaign manager of Kwame Pianim.
The fight of the minds of the NPP delegates is already known as the number one slot will be coming from the NPP. It will be between the rapidly deteriorating Adu-Boahen and Kwame Pianim. Somewhere down the ladder, it emerged that Mr.Dan Lartey of the CPP and Dr. Jopnes Ofori-Atta are also staking their claim. Dan Lartey and Jones both claim to be serious.
COMMISSIONER SHORT HAS asked Dr. Adjei-Maafo to make his sister and brother-in-law available to the Commission for question over the ownership of properties he has submitted in their names. The Commissioner intervened during a tussle between Mr. Joe Ghartey, Counsel for Kofi Coomson and Dr. Marfo who had been evasive over the address of his sister-in-law who lives in Canada.
The Presidential Staffer for Cocoa Affairs told the Commission that he could not afford to bring his relatives into the country. His Counsel, Mr. Joe Lamptey, also submitted that since the commission had been given the power to investigate, it could only be proper that it financed such a move. Dr. Maafo had given his sister-in-law's name as the owner of a house at Sakumono where at present, he lives with his family. Counsel for Kofi Coomson had accused the Presidential Staffer of using his in-laws as fronts because they could not have been in the financial position to own those properties.
Meanwhile, on Wednesday, during cross-examination, Dr. Maafo had insisted that his sister-in-law who has been in Canada for five years is solvent enough to own the Sakumono house, and also that his brother-in-law contributed a substantial amount into the foundation of the Queens Lands International School at Tema.
Joe Ghartey: Kwame Nti, is he your nephew?
Adjei-Maafo: No, my brother-in-law.
J.G: Do you know by which visa he travelled outside Ghana? Was it a student's visa or a ..... Do you know?
A.M: No.
J.G: So you don't know if he is working legally?
A.M: No. I know he is working
J.G: So Doc let me help you. You are aware, that you could go to America with a student's visa and go and start working, which may be illegal. The question I am asking is that is he working in America legally?
A.M" I have got no answer to that question.
J.G: You don't know? Do you know or you don't know?
Mrs Domakyaareh" He said do you know or you don't know? Are you in a position to know?
A.M: I don't Know
J.G: What about your sister-in-law? Rosina eh....What's her surname?
A.M: She is Juliana Sarpong
J.G: Okay, when did she go to Canada?
A.M: She has been in Canada for about five years now.
J.G: Do you know her status in Canada? Is she a legal immigrant?
A.M: I know she is there legally, she is working legally. As to what she is there, I know she is there legally.
(counsel for Dr Adjei-Maafo interrupts)
Joe Lamptey: Eh Madam Chairperson, I think I have restrain my self for this while. Mr client is here under investigation for illegal acquisition of property. I am afraid that in the course of the examination, there is a lot of straining and that's what has led us to this position. What has my client got to do about whether the people mentioned are there illegally or legally? I think counsel should have to leave my client alone and concentrate on the matters for which we are here.
J.G: I am surprised at what Mr. Joe Laptey has said, because Juliana and Kwame Nti are names the Doctor himself submitted as people who have contributed money to property or own property, we say belongs to him. We have already laid the foundation, for example, that Kwame Nti, and I give his example so that my learned friend would see the relevance. When I asked the Doctor, that who contributed to the Queens Land International School, he said he and sources overseas. I suggested to the Commission that overseas is not enough. So I asked him to mention the names, and he mentioned Kwame Nti. At the end of the day, he himself said Kwame had contributed about $2,000 which is about ¢2.5 million out of the foundation of over ¢100 million. You see, what we are trying to show is that these persons that Dr. Maafo says have contributed money are not in the position to do that.
Mrs Domakyaareh: Counsel, you can go ahead.
A.M: I told you Julie has got a shop and she is a hairdresser. She is in very gainful employment.
J.G: The house you live in, who actually paid for it? Was the money transferred from overseas into your accounts. Who handed the money over to Regimmanuel?
A.M.: It didn't come into my account, this you can check with Regimanuel.
J.G." So you didn't handle the payment. You were not directly involved with the payment.
A.M: The handing over money to Regimanuel" No, that wasn't my responsibility. (Commissioner Short interrupts)
Dr. Adjei-Maafo, please. You are here to assist us. So please answer the question. If you know the answer, you tell us, if you don't, you tell us. Don't say that we can ask Regina. No, that is not the proper answer. Please tell us the proper answer. If you don't answer, we would ask you anyway, so............
A.M: Eh.... Julie paid it to Regimanuel. That I know.
J.G: Doc in your assets declaration forms you mentioned your farms, how long have you owned them.
A.M: I think I have declared to the Commission. I think they were established in the early 80s and in the mid-80s. When I came back from Australia.
J.G.: So all the farms are more that five years old?
A.M: Oh yes.
J.G: Do you have any livestock?
A.M: No
J.G: DO you have any other sources of income?
A.M: I have declared all my other sources of income to the commission.
J.G.: I am asking you.
Mrs Domakyaareh: Dr. Adjei-Maarfo, please try and answer the questions as straight as possible. Try not to be evasive. If you are asked if there are any other sources, it is either yes or no.
A.M: Yes I have other sources of income.
Mrs Domakyaareh: Aha, something like that.
J.G: Please, what are those sources?
A.M: As the Chairman of the Board of WAMCO, I earn director's fees, and as a shareholder of Bossompim Company and a member of the Board, I earn director's fees.
J.G: WAMCO, that is.......
A.M: West African Mills Company Limited
J.G: That is the company owned partly by Walter Shroeder and Hosta.
A.M: That is the joint venture between COCOBOD and Walter.
J.G: Now this Walter Shroeder business.......Doctor, how much is the directors fees with Hosta?
A.M: That would be, for the first part, that was ¢4.2 million, and the by end of December last year, it was about ¢8.4 million
J.G: When did you become chairman?
A.M: Since it was commissioned
J.G: When was that?
A.M: That's two or three years ago? I can't remember. But I think it was two years ago.
J.G: What about the other Bosimpim Company?
A.M: For 1993 I earned ¢3million, for 1994, ¢6.5 million.
J.G: Dividends or director's fees?
A.M: Director's fees.
The evil that men do lives after them". That was the case of Bernard Owusu Marfo, 39, of (NTHC) G-I/1, at the Regimanuel Estates who was alleged to have hung himself, when his neighbours had left for church.
The deceased, who was alleged to have been haunted by his own wickedness and evil thoughts, resorted to suicide, which has raised a lot of questions in the minds of his immediate family. To substantiate the meaning of the above quotation from Shakespeare's Julius Caeser, was a written not the deceased had left behind in his sitting room where he hanged himself. It reads (unedited): "As I started smoking, it changes my career to travelling and from there, wickedness came into my life. I may see somebody doing me good as I came back from Japan, but difficult for me to help those who help me too, I don't know why."
According to a source at the Sakumono Police, the deceased was a former worker at the Post and Telecommunication (P&T) before he left for Japan in search of greener pastures. The police disclosed that the deceased had, since his return, been living with his wife, one Obaa Yaa, until December last year, when he divorced her, following a misunderstanding. Following this, Obaa Yaa left the house, but later on, family members from the two sides intervened. The deceased resolute in his decision, however did not agree with the outcome, saying he no longer loved Obaa Yaa, the police said. The police further hinted that nobody was aware that the deceased had hanged himself until about 1 p.m., when on January 1, his driver entered the sitting room and found his master hanging from the ceiling. Immediately, he blew the alarm and informed his brother, who reported the incident to the Sakumono police.
After the police version of the suicide, yours truly interviewed some of the residents for their. The response was that there was widespread speculation that the deceased was impotent. When this reporter asked them to support their claim, a courageous young man, who pleaded anonymity bluntly asked, "how could a well-to-do man of 39 stay with a wife for years without a child? There was something wrong somewhere." A female teacher, walking briskly to school, also said that she was amazed to hear of the suicide, involving such a personality. She said "If people who are financially sound as he, could take such a drastic decision as to end his life, then what would the poor ones do? God have mercy on us", "This is a shameful and stupid act by all standards, irrespective of how one looks at it. How could a man's impotency drive him into ending his own life, as it is being rumoured," an elderly man asked.
With the speculation of the deceased's impotency gaining weight, Inspector R.G. Adatsi, in charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (C.I.D.) at Sakumono, but he declined to comment on it. The body of the deceased, after post-mortem, has since been buried at Oyoko, his hometown in the Eastern region. Below is the letter written by the deceased to his estranged wife, Obaa Yaa. (unedited):
Dear Obaa Yaa,
You came into my life to save me but I didn't know until now. May God Bless you and your family.
But one thing I wasn't to tell you, try to worship God with a true heart so that you can enter into heaven.
It should be a lesson to all that we shouldn't play with the Omnipotent God in worshipping. Sometimes I don't blame myself and who is it to blame because I didn't think this will be the end of my life.
As I left school I worked at the P&T corporation as a cool and nice boy but as I started smoking it changes my career to travelling, and from there wickedness came into my life. I may see somebody doing me good but as I came back from Japan difficult for me to help those you helped me too I don't know why. But I will leave everything to God. Well as for my family they shouldn't be blame only lack of training in my part. I end here with my greatest thanks to Obaa as she came to be my saviour but I didn't know that until now. Obaa thank you very much and bye. Don't be chasing money too much you hear.
The leadership confusion brewing in the Public Service Workers Union (PSWU) took a new turn last Thursday (18/1) when union members locked out acting General Secretary (GS) Krang Opare Ababio from his office in the Trades Union Congress hall. The move by the union members against Opare Ababio's continued occupation of the post of GS amidst tense controversy.
Within hours of the lockout, Opare Ababio had brought the police to break open the door although no arrests were made as the union members had already left. He then promptly fitted a new lock and key on the door. That the union members resorted to such a drastic action - and that no one in the TUC hall prevented the lock-out - signals a deepening of the crisis over Opare Ababio's insistence to continue as GS.
As reported in previous editions, Public Agenda, Opare Ababio's legitimacy as GS has been undermined by a court action seeking to remove him from office on grounds that he is 60 years age, the age of retirement according to the collective agreement for the union's staff. Because the court case is still pending, the recent general conference of the PSWU decided not to hold elections for the post of GS, although all other executive positions were filled through elections.
Following the PSWU congress, the TUC executive leadership signalled that it no longer recognised. Opare Ababio as the rightful leader of the union. This was revealed earlier this month when TUC Secretary General Christian Appiah Agyei quietly walked Opare Ababio out of a meeting for all GS and Chairpersons of TUC unions, on grounds that his status of "elected leader" was in question. Although Opare Ababio requested that TUC requested that TUC Deputy Secretary General Dennis Vormawor file an official complaint with the police over the lockout, Vormawor told Public Agenda that he had refused. He said that the PSWU, as all unions under the TUC, was autonomous and could thus file its own official complaint with the police.
A 32-year-old Labourer at the Police Hospital Richard Clint Allornu has been placed in Police custody for murdering his cousin. According to the suspect, one Prosper, the cousin's boyfriend brought her to him on the 15/1/96 and asked for his help to enable her cause abortion to a two week pregnancy.
He said, Prosper produced two ampoules (10ml) of Chloroquine with which he injected the girl last Thursday morning for the purpose of inducing abortion, but unfortunately she died. Asked why he decided to administer the injection although he was not medically qualified, he replied, "I knew the doctor couldn't do anything about it and I was only trying to help. I am sorry."
The body of the deceased, Elizabeth Allornu 23, has been deposited at the Police Hospital Mortuary while the Homicide Squad is investigating the case. Prosper, the boyfriend of the deceased has since absconded. In the meantime, the police are appealing to all chemists not to sell prohibited drugs to members of the public until they produce prescriptions.
Members are of Parliament were in an ebullient mood at the start of the last year of their four team, congratulating themselves for being the only first Parliament since the demise of the 4th Republic to go beyond the third lap. The rank and file of the House are of the view that the broken myth that no Ghanaian parliamentary session has since the First Republic passed its third session is a credit. The Speaker, Mr. Justice D.F. Annan believes parliament successfully passed this milestone.
Before business resumed in the House last Tuesday, the Speaker had cause to remind the House to review the performance of the various sectors of the economy. He believes that parliament as an institution of democracy should be development oriented. The Speaker tasked members to ask more cogent questions during question time. Commodore Obimpeh, the Health Minister and the Edward Salia, Minister of Transport and Communications became the first ministers to be grilled.
Minister Salia said the government is keen about developing rural telephone system. He said a private company, Capital Telecom is providing services in Southern Ghana. Under a build, operation and transfer scheme, an operator is being sought for the Northern sector. As usual, some of his answers provided simply said facilities will be provided, without giving any time frame. But in some cases, the minister assured the House that the facilities would be provided by the end of the year. Doe Adjaho, MP for Avenor wanted the minister to assure him that Akatsi, a town in his constituency, would have telephones.
Justice Annan reminded Salia that the House now has an Assurance Committee which will monitor promises and assurances giver in the House by any person who appear before it. With the Speaker's reminder, Salia said frequencies have already been given but as "these things are technological", they could fail. Therefore, he said "I can't be sure for what may happen to them."
Health Minister Obimpeh, was nicely grilled by his colleagues with supplementary questions on the long delay in appointing a director for herbal medicine, thefts and charging of illegal fees at Korle-Bu. No one is qualified to be herbal health director A 1 - though, the Minister explained that the Public Services Commission had not been able to select a successful applicant for the post of Director for Herbal Medicine, after interviewing two batches of applicants, members were not convinced that all is well at the Ministry of Health as far as the promotion of herbal medicine is concerned.
In fact, the Minister said he heard of the failure of the entire second batch of applicants through the grapevine so he was appealing to members to recommend suitable Ghanaians for recruitment. On thefts at the hospitals, the Minister gave the impression that measures have been taken to reduce them. But Steve Akarli, MP for Ho East, followed up with a question on the theft situation at Korle-Bu which he learnt of on the very day of the sitting on the radio program, Good Morning Accra. In the program, a senior hospital official was talking about theft at Korle-Bu. Commodore Obimpeh conceded defeat saying "the situation is, if you plug one hole, another is opened."
The Ministry of Education is setting up of a hundred and ten (110) science resource centres in all the country's districts. According to the Minister of Education, Harry Sawyerr, the objective for setting up these centres of "insufficient quantities and types of equipment, chemicals and materials..... and the non-availability of good science education in the country."
Sawyerr said so far thirty-two of the centres have been established while fifty more are expected to be set up at the end of this year. Adding that the remaining twenty-eight centres would be established by the end of 1997. So far, nine science teachers and a laboratory technician have undergone a sic month training in the United Kingdom to enable them re-train their colleagues to man the various centres.
Selected secondary schools would have their existing science laboratories upgraded to the level of science resource centres while areas where schools are far apart would have their resource centres built at central and accessible points. Arrangements are in place to procure 110 buses to convey students in the various satellite schools to the centres which would be centrally located to enable easy access to them Sawyerr said the "first twelve of these buses will be ready by the end of February this year after which five buses would be procured ever month" till the needed number is obtained. He said "driver-technicians will be recruited and trained to man the buses. The total cost of the project which would cover teaching equipment, training of personnel and the purchase of transport is estimated at a cost of 20 million pounds.
In his session address, President Rawlings admitted that the state of Ghana's science education in Ghana is poor and said that the setting up of the science resource centres would help. He added that in addition, a national computer literacy program would also take off this year with the distribution of thousand computers to 200 secondary schools.
Reports from the Winneba Government Hospital speak of an alarming increase in the number of typhoid and tuberculosis cases reported. The officer-in-charge of disease control at the Ministry of Health, Sam Odoom attributed the situation of lack of isolation wards at the hospital and poor personal and environmental practices by the people. He therefore, appealed to the government to provide the hospital with male and female isolation wards.
THE Attorney General has resorted to legal action to try and prevent the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) from investigating the charge of negligence against Minister of Interior Col E.M. Osei-Owusu in connection with the Kume Preko March on May 11 last year.
Just 24 hours intended to go ahead with the investigation on Wednesday (17/1) last week, the AG filed a writ in the Supreme Court seeking to prevent the CHRAJ from investigating the charge. Although not legally prevented from going ahead with the investigation regardless, Deputy Commissioner B.K. Oppong said "it would not be prudent to proceed", stating that the investigation would be postponed indefinitely until the outcome of the case in the Supreme Court was final. The legal action by the AG comes after three no-shows by the Minister and then a letter of objection from the AG last year failed to halt the CHRAJ from going ahead with the investigation. The charge against the minister arises from a petition filed by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) shortly after the Kume Preko demonstration in Accra on May 11 of last year. The TUC has alleged that by permitting the members of the Association of Committees for the Defence of the Revolution (ACDRs) to act in defence of the Makola Market, Osei-Owusu acted negligently.
Reacting to the latest move by the AG to thwart the probe TUC Legal Officer Kwadjo Owusu said the TUC feared that the legal action would cause the probe to be delayed for many months, perhaps even until after the election. "We fear that it [the investigation] could die a natural death," adding that their suspicions also stemmed from recent appointment by President Rawlings to the Supreme Court. The AG is arguing that the TUC's allegation should rather be dealt with by Parliament, in accordance with powers vested in it by Section 82 of the Constitution. Section 82 grants Parliament the right to censure a Minister if the move is supported by two thirds of all Mps. If the Minister is censured and does not resign as a result, the president is also constitutionally permitted to revoke his or her appointment as Minister. The AG is further arguing that the CHRAJ does not have jurisdiction to investigate that TUC petition in terms of the scope of powers listed in the Constitution and the founding law (Act 456) for the CHRAJ.
The CHRAJ has already outrightly rejected the argument put forward by the AG. In a ruling on December 6 last year concerning the objection raised by the Ag over the CHRAJ's jurisdiction, Oppong insisted that the Constitution in no way prevented the CHRAJ from investigating the charge of negligence. Oppong said that "the Hon. Minister is a public officer whose acts if complained against as constituting a violation of the fundamental rights of a person is amiable to the jurisdiction of the Commission under Article 218 (a) of the Constitution." Public Agenda has learnt that this is the second time the AG has attempted to curtail one of the CHRAJ investigation on grounds that the CHRAJ does not have jurisdiction to investigate.
Following a petition brought by an individual to the CHRAJ requesting it to investigate the confiscation of assets by the Armed Forces Ruling Council (AFRC), the AG raised objection that the CHRAJ did not have jurisdiction to investigate confiscate of assets by the AFRC or PNDC regimes. The CHRAJ replied by filing a legal writ in the Supreme court last November seeking official clarification as to whether or not it has jurisdiction to investigate the confiscation of assets.
A Ghanaian, Mustapha Mohammed and Two Malians, Musa Dramani 55, Dauda Maggah, 55, have been arrested by the task force on Beautification and Sanitation of Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA) for buying booty of grave looters.
Acting on a tip off the leader of the task force WOI Salifu Amankwah said he sent some members to a shop at Adabraka to offer for sale some beads which were abandoned by some grave looters. At the shop, he said the task force met the three suspects and when they told them they had beads to sell, Mustapha stepped forward to buy them. He said they priced the items at ¢30,000 but Mustapha offered ¢10,000. WO I Amankwah said after the bargaining Mustapha agreed to pay ¢14,000 on condition that they would sell the grave looting to him.
When the task force searched the store they found a large quantity of beads, some had been cleaned and polished but others had soil on them.
TWIN brothers, Daniel Asa Ampofo and Alex Asa Ampofo are helping the Akropong Police in their investigations into the death of Ms Salomey Amponsah, 68. Two others, Albert Appiah and Anderson Dartey Baah of Aburi are assisting the police into their investigations. A source close to the Akropong Police said the inability of the police to establish which of the two actually hit the deceased was delaying the processing of the necessary documents for trial to start. The twins have been granted bail with two sureties to reappear before the Akropong Circuit Court.
According to the story on December 19 last year, there was a fight between two boys, one of whom lived in the same house with the twins. That boy was severely beaten. This infuriated the twins, who went to the deceased's house where they engaged in hot exchange of words with some of the inmates. The deceased who was then in her room, came out to buy bread when she was allegedly hit by one of the twins with a club, killing her instantly.
THE Oda Police have closed down the homeopathic clinic at Akyem Asene near Oda in the Eastern Region operated by a fake doctor, Kingsley Yaw Owusu Freeman, who allegedly caused the physical deformity of a 33-year-old farmer.
The closure was done in consultation with the Birim South District Medical Officer, Dr L.K. Senaya after a thorough investigations had revealed that the clinic did not possess valid documents authorising him to run the clinic. It was also discovered that the equipment and drugs used by the fake doctor were dangerous and that could worsen the health of patients who receive treatment at the clinic.
He said with the help of Birim South District Medical Officer, the police investigated the qualification of Owusu and the kind of drugs he administered to his patients which revealed that he was a charlatan who was causing more harm than good to people. According to the Oda Police, Owusu would be prosecuted for defying an earlier ban imposed on him by the District Medical Officer and for deforming a farmer.
It will be recalled that on November 4 last year, the flesh of the right leg of Yaw Botwe, a farmer of Asene was removed through surgical operation at Oda Government Hospital thereby exposing the bones. The operation followed Owusu's poor suturing of a cutlass wound sustained by Mr Botwe on September 20 last year which developed complications eight days later.
"I know between me and my God that the distance between me and prison is short and therefore I will go with my accomplices." These were the words of a drug pusher from Kumasi, Abu Bamba when he was to begin his 10 years prison term in Sunyani.
He told security men who were sending him to begin his jail term that he would be the last foolish person on earth to go to prison alone when his accomplice walk the streets free men. True to his word and determination he gave their names and details about their activities to the security men and Abdul Rasheed and Frank Badu were arrested and jailed 12 and 10 years respectively by a Sunyani High Court.
The drama started unfolding when upon a tip-off Adu was arrested a Nissan urvan bus travelling from Wenchi to Kumasi carrying bags of leaves suspected to be wee. Based on another tip-off Rasheed was also arrested on another urvan bus the same day carrying four kilograms of the stuff.
THE sound of a corn-mill drowned the cry of a rape victim to enable her attract sympathisers, and the little girl suffered humiliation from a drunken fetish priest. The fetish priest, Kodjo Agbomatsi, a native of Togo, raped a 14-year-old girl from Dodi-Amanfrom in the Afram Plains district on December 19.
The victim was sent by her elder sister to consult the fetish priest about her missing ¢2,000. The 14-year-old on realising the ¢5,000 to Agbomatsi was demanding for consultation abandoned the idea, but the fetish priest lured her back under the pretext of helping her find the missing money and raped her. According to police source during discussions in the room, the fetish priest pounced on the girl and forcibly had sex with her.
$10.5 million fisheries subsector capacity building project to establish a long-term sustainability of fisheries resource in order to maximise its contribution to the economy, will take off this month. The five-year programme is being funded by the world Bank following the acceptance of feasibility reports submitted by the government to the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) headquarters in Rome.
This was announced by Mr M.A. Mensah, Director of fisheries at a one-day seminar organised for fishermen drawn from Agona Ahanta, Nzema East and Jomoro districts, all in the Western Region at Axim. Mr Mensah said the project will strengthen the capacity of the Fisheries Department and fishermen's organisations and ensure the effective management and development of the sector.It will also focus on the formulation of policy and management plans and their implementation as well as monitoring, control and enforcement of fishery laws, the promotion and development of inland fisheries and aquaculture.
With regard to the sale of pre-mix fuel, the director said a mechanism which will ensure transparency in its distribution and its suitability for outboard motors, has been put in place indicating that the product will be in the market within the next two months.
On the question of presenting Wellington boots and cutlasses to the best fisherman as awards on Farmers' Day at the regional and district levels, Mr E.D. Arkhurst, Regional Director of Agriculture, admitted that the prizes might not be useful to the recipients.
The District Chief Executive of Nzema East, Mr J.R.D. Kobina and Awulae Neba Kwaw III, Omanhene of Upper Axim, who chaired the function, both called on the fishermen to build confidence in their leaders to ensure effective mobilisation of their members. They also appealed to the leadership of the fishermen to show transparency when dealing with members.
THE Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), is to grant a ¢1.2 billion loan to the Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation (GWSC) to lay a 12-inch diameter pipeline between Ashalley Botwe and Pantang to improve water services to communities along the route. The terms of payment of the loan would be negotiated on mutual terms between the two organisations. The SSNIT has a residential estate at Adenta, one of the communities that is to benefit from the project.
This was made known yesterday when the President Flt. Lt. Jerry John Rawlings paid a visit to Adenta to inspect projects the GWSC is undertaking to ease the water problem there. The community has about 65,000 inhabitants occupying the 89 block of flats built by the SSNIT and some units owned by the State Housing Corporation.
The project include the construction of one down tank with a capacity of 30,000 gallons and an overhead one of 10,000 gallon capacity. The tanks are designed to feed reservoirs provided on the flats by gravity and supply enough water to last each of the families on the flats, for about two days when there is water shortage. At the moment, water flows through pipes at the flat twice a week. Residents, however, said they receive water only on Friday nights. Briefing the President on the water situation there Mr Henry Dei, Director-General of SSNIT, said boreholes sank in the area to provide water to Adenta have not been very effective because there is not much water underground and where water is found, its salinity level is found to be too high for drinking.
President Rawlings called for a co-ordinated effort to improve the water situation in the area. He expressed dissatisfaction with the rate of work and said it appears as if too few contractors have been given too much work to do.
The Managing Director of the GWSC, Mr ELK. Dovlo said the Weija Water Works Rehabilitation project would be completed by August. He said when this is done, places like Nsawam and Dansoman would have adequate supply of water since water supply from that source would increase by 50 per cent.
With the President on the inspection tour was the acting Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Kwabena Fosu. Also present was the Managing Director of the State Housing Corporation (SHC), Brigadier L.K. Appa. During the tour the President also complained about the slow rate of work by contractors of the SHC and the non-delivery in certain cases where people had deposited for houses.
At one point the President wanted to find out who the contractor on a particular project was but no one seemed willing to tell him. The President later learnt that the contract had in fact been given to the Legal Officer of the SHC, Mr Kwaku Kyeremateng. The President wondered how the SHC could insist on quality work when there is in-house award of contracts.
PARLIAMENT yesterday called on the Ghana Education Service and the Education Ministry to take urgent measures to remove all the frustrations in the payment of teachers' salaries. Besides the House's Committee on Education and Health has been requested to investigate the issue and come out with lasting solutions to the problem.
The call came after members have expressed deep concern in their contribution to a statement made by Mr osi Kedem (NDC Hohoe South) about the predicament of teachers in his constituency whose salaries have been delayed for more than three months. Mr Kedem's statement centred on delay and irregularities in the payment of salaries, delay in the processing of end-of-service benefit for retired teachers and late payment of newly appointed teachers.
The reasons assigned to the situation are that for some of them their salaries had been transferred to some banks in other regions, for others their names have been deleted completely from the pay voucher while others have been paid less because they have not been put on their proper grades. The MP said he has inform that the problem is not peculiar to teachers in his constituency.
Mr Kedem said his investigations attributed the cause to the computerisation of teachers pay vouchers by the Controller and Accountant-General's Department under the Integrated Personnel Pay Roll Database to streamline the payment system.
On the end-of-service benefit, the MP submitted that because of its centralisation, beneficiaries tend to spend the chunk of their benefits on travelling, give compulsory juicy tips to schedule officers processing the document or their files might disappear. He did not see why newly-appointed teachers should suffer unduly before they are paid their salaries and called for speedy action to rectify the situation.
In his intervention, Dr Joe Enos (NDC Ajumako/Enyan/Esiam) said he sympathises with the victims but attributed part of the problem to the inability of some teachers to fill their forms correctly. He enumerated the advantages of the new payment system which he said among others will eliminate ghost names. The MP who is also the chairman of the House's committee on Education and Health indicated that a master pay roll is in the offing.
On his part, Mr Mumuni Seidu (NDC Wa Central) deplored the make shift approach in solving problems and called for permanent solutions to the problems facing teachers.
Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia (NDC Wenchi West) and Mr C.K. Asante (NDC Bia) expressed concern about the plight of retrenched pupil teachers who were not paid a pesewa for the services to the Education Service. They argued that the pupil teachers held the fort when trained teachers left the country to seek greener pastures in recent past. Consequently, it is only fair and just that their contributions should be recognised.
On his part, Mr David Yaw Mensah (NDC Atebubu North) deplored the situation which some teachers now find themselves because they may be forced to do menial job or resort to borrowing and called for a solution to the problem.
It was the consensus of the House that a permanent solution should be sought to ward off frustrations which affect the already fallen standards in education.
Mr Ken Dzirasah, First Deputy Speaker, who was in the chair summed up the feeling of the House and said in view of the sentiments expressed, the concern will be sent to the ministry and the GES to ensure that they take immediate action to rectify the situation.
Meanwhile, the outgoing Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Mr Boo Hong Hwang has called on the Speaker, Mr Justice Daniel Annan. He remarked that Ghana's political and economic steps have reached a stage which need the support of all.
THE mystery of how five drug traffickers escaped from the Kotobabi Police cells is still boggling the minds of the Greater Accra police. The five, Mawuli Akotia, 26, Naru Mohammed, 23, Tanko Ibrahim, 30, Victor Tetevi, 35 and Sataru Mohammed 25, are being held for drug trafficking and possessing narcotic drugs.
According to the police the suspects broke through a six-inch thick concrete slab that was part of the cells pan toilet structure. "The concrete slab which had been built into a wall had a small opening not big enough to allow a human body to pass through" lamented Corporal S.K. Narh, who was the officer on duty at the time of the jail break. Continuing, Corporal Narh said "they probably got themselves soiled with faeces considering the smallness of the entrance". He said "this is something that baffles all of us but we are suppressing our sentiments till the investigation is concluded".
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional Police Commander, Mr Jonathan Mprah said the police are doing their own investigations but has given corporal Narh 10 days to produce the suspects or face a service enquiry for allowing prisoners to escape from custody.
The Electoral Commission has designated 17 new registration centres in the Accra-Tema Metropolitan Area to issue photo identity cards to about 300,000 registrants who could not obtain theirs during the registration exercise. Mr J.K. Larvie, Public Relations Manager of the commission, told the Graphic that the designation of the new centres has become necessary to speed up the issuing of photo identity cards to voters.
The new centres include the Department of Social Welfare Office at Kaneshie, Apenkwa JSS in the Okaikoi District; Dansoman Police Station, Local Government Training School, Laterbiorkorshie and Meadow Preparatory School in the Ablekuma District. The others are City Engineers Department in the Ashiedu Keteke District; the Centre for National Culture, Dunia Cinema Hall, Kotobabi Cluster of Schools and Legon Hall in the Osu Klottey and Ayawaso Districts. The rest are AMA Revenue Office, Kaajarno, Teshie Community Centre, Nungua Traditional Authority Hall, Twidaase JSS Community One, Ashiaman Government School, New Ashalley Botwe Pentecost Church and the Methodist JSS Kpone all in the Kpeshie and Tema Districts.
Mr Larvie, however, expressed concern about the poor response of the public to the exercise. He urged those who are still without photo identity cards to report at the designated centres for theirs. He assured that the commission has acquired enough materials to meet the demands of voters. Mr Larvie also appealed to the courts to expedite the trial of those found to have misapplied the commission's materials.
THE Ministry of Education has announced that consideration is being given of the request of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) for an upward review of the students loan from ¢350,000 to ¢850,000 for the 1995/96 academic year and for a supplementary loan of ¢300,000 to each student to enable them complete the second semester of the 1994/95 academic year.
A release signed by Mr Harry Sawyerr, Minister of Education and issued in Accra last night said the Ministry of Finance and the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) are considering the requests and the outcome will be communicated to the NUGS as soon as a decision is taken. In another development, the ministry has directed the Ag. Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies, Professor R. Bening, to suspend any movement of the university from Tamale to Navrongo until further notice.
MANKOADZE Fisheries Limited, a private fishing company at Tema on Monday (15/01/96) lost one of its vessels, Marian Rosina, when it sank about 324 nautical miles off Ghana waters. It then had a catch of over 250 tonnes of tuna. The crew numbering about 25, including three Koreans, were however rescued and arrived at the Tema Fishing Harbour.
A source close to the company said the loss of the ship is a big blow to the company as it was refurbished at a great cost only last year. The source said at about 6.30 a.m. on Monday morning, the chief engineer and the mechanic were working in the engine room when suddenly they noticed that the vessel was taking in water. They tried to stop the leakage but because of the rate at which the water was flowing it was impossible to secure the vessel as the engines ceased resulting in a breakdown.
It said, they sent out distress signals for assistance from vessels within or closer to the area and got responses. The source said the closest vessel, Sin Fin Tres of the Dolphin Shipping Company, another private company based at Tema which was about seven hours away from the distressed vessel, managed to sail towards it and got there at about 4 p.m. and rescued the crew.
According to the source, the crew were later, transferred unto another vessel belonging to Mankoadze to enable Sin Fin Tres to continue with its voyage. The source expressed surprise at the accident because "the vessel was in class" and most of its equipment or parts were new. It was not even due for dry-docking, the source added.
A member of the Tema branch of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) is alleged to have misappropriated ¢100 million (almost $90,000) being income tax payments. The suspect, Mr B.K. Ayensu who is a Secretary to the branch failed to account for income tax collected over the past five years.
The Greater Accra Revenue Officer of the Internal Revenue Service who disclosed this in Accra said Ayensu was supplied with income tax receipt books for distribution to local unions but he used it and failed to account for it. The source said while records at his office indicate that he has been accounting for moneys, there was no evidence at IRS. The Tema Police who confirmed the story said they have intensified their search for Ayensu who is believed to be hiding in the Eastern Region.
THE Executive Committee of the University of Ghana has announced dates for the completion of the 1994-95 academic year and the commencement of the 1996-97 academic year.
According to the Registrar, the first semester examination for 1994-95 will begin on Monday January 29 and end on Friday, February 9, 1996.
The first semester for 1994-95 will end on Friday, February 9. Students will then have three weeks inter-semester break from Saturday February 10 to Thursday February 29.
The second semester for the completion of the 1994-95 academic year will begin on Friday, March 1 and end on June 21. There will be a long vacation of nine weeks from June 22 to August 23.
The first semester of the 1996-97 academic year will begin on August 23 1996.
GOVERNMENT has completed preparations for setting up a permanent secretariat towards the realisation of its objective of ensuring that Ghana becomes the economic gateway to West Africa. The gateway concept is aimed at making Ghana the conduit for foreign investment and the hub of private sector business transactions. The programme, drawn with the support of the World Bank, is also aimed at making Accra a financial centre just as Johannesburg in the South, Kenya in the East and Cairo in the North.
Dr George Yankey, Director at the Ministry of Finance who disclosed this in an interview, said an interim secretariat set up by government, has already developed a working structure for the permanent secretariat and also identified possible obstacles to the actualisation of the gateway concept.
He said efforts are being made to remove all bureaucratic bottlenecks as well as legal, administrative, economic and financial impediments to investment, so as to encourage the private sector to take up the challenge. To this end, the secretariat is collaborating with various ministries, government agencies and policy-makers on how best to eliminate the constraints to facilitate the implementation of the gateway programme. The interim secretariat is also appraising existing government projects and programmes to facilitate the achievement of the goals of the programme, he added.
Dr Yankey stated that as part of developing a "comprehensive global approach" an open-air policy for the airports as well as free harbours is being developed to make them the main transit points for most private business activities in the sub-region. He pointed out that the current trade and investment drive by the government is geared towards the realisation of the gateway objective.
ABOUT ¢500,000,000 has so far been spent on the new extension to the National Cardio Thoracic Centre at Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital. Out of the amount the Ministry of Health contributed ¢40,000,000 while the rest are from donations mobilised through personal contacts locally and externally.
Dr K. Frimpong-Boateng, head of the National Cardio Thoracic Centre made this known when the Graphic presented a cheque for ¢8,000,000 to the centre towards the medical expenses of needy patients who use the services of the centre. The amount was donated by a philanthropist in support of the Graphic Corporation Cardio Fund launched in August last year to raise funds to support the work of the Cardio Centre and Heart Foundation.
Dr Frimpong-Boateng said the extension block which would be in full use from April was started on the initiative of the centre when the Ministry of Health imported some equipment for the centre but could not install them at Korle-Bu. He said external philanthropists as well as Ghanaian experts have contributed actively to the extension project and mentioned in particular free constancy services from the Architectural and Engineering Services Corporation as well as private engineers, architects and an electrical contractor who have all provided constancy services free towards the construction of the building.
Dr Frimpong-Boateng said some German donors have given the centre 28 air-conditioners which have been installed at the new block. He explained that the government through the Ministry of Health has provided most of the equipment. He indicated that when the extension block is completed, they would begin the theatre project and emphasised that "that would require generous support" and accordingly appealed to Ghanaians to support the Graphic Cardio Fund as well as make generous donations for the early completion of the intended theatre. He further appealed to government to grant tax concession to those who donate to support health care.
THERE WERE CLEAR signs over the weekend that opponents of Mr. Kwame Pianim were going to drag him to court in an attempt to frustrate his driver for the presidency. Kwame who was virtually dragged by persistent Ghanaians to run for the office served 10 years in prison for trying to overthrow the government (1982-1992 earning the enviable record as Ghana's longest serving political prisoner who was adopted by Amnesty as a Prisoner of Conscience.
There have been doubts as to Pianim's qualification since the constitution bars certain categories of ex-convicts from seeking public office. Pianim confronted the subject at his press conference, arguing that what the 1979 and 1992 constitutions sought to prevent was "the overthrow of a constitution enacted by the sovereign will of the people. If Ghanaians are made to believe that those who seek to protect the Fourth Republican constitution expose themselves to the whims of the usurpers of power who might then proceed life, then the constitution is not worth the paper it is written on."
A DELUGE of telephone calls to Chronicle offices have expressed unanimous condemnation for the latest in what is perceived as the latest round of diabolical plots by president Jerry Rawlings and his agents to destabilise potential opponents. The callers expressed solidarity for the latest target Dr. P. Kwesi Ndoum, a private business consultant who has turned down several entreaties to join the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He became a target of what insiders describe as baseless charges against the young entrepreneur from the Central Region by the government controlled Ghanaian Times.
Dr. Nduom has been suspected by government of being one of the strongest supporters of the CPP family and a potential presidential candidate. This attack has paradoxically buoyed up Ndoum and rested whispered rumours that he is a closet NDC man. The 42-year-old consultant has on occasion been critical of the Rawlings administration though he has also been complimentary of them as well. He has also attracted scathing criticisms too. Four months ago, the Bureau of National Investigations began looking into the files of Ndoum for possible wrong doing in business.
Last week Thursday, the Public Affairs Secretariat of the Castle led by Opoku Acheampong and Valerie Sackey unleashed a "government" report attributed to the Ministry of Finance in which the Chairman of the State Enterprises Commission, Mr. Willie Addah, was accused of awarding management contracts to an international constancy firm with which Dr. Nduom is connected. Hours after the report, another statement attributed to the Minister for Transport, announced Ndoum's removal from the Ghana Airways board.
Sources close to the airline confirmed unequivocally that Dr. Ndoum has consistently refused to take his allowance as director and the free tickets he is entitled to. The other member of the board member and chairman is Mr. Sam Jonah. Dr. Nduom himself was out of the country but his wife Yvonne was surprisingly unperturbed and upbeat when contacted by Chronicle. She declined with a smile to comment, but said her husband would be the best person. Ironically, he is giving a talk on Ghana at the business destination at the famous Wharton School of Business in the United States.
A new Omanhene has been installed at Winneba in the Effutu Traditional Area. The new Omanhene, Nana Ghartey VII, 39 and know in private live as Daniel Kobina Bortse Ghartey succeed Nana Ghartey VI who died in 1994. The installation was orderly against the previous are which resulted in violence and the death of a woman.
Members of the Twafo number one Asafo Company of the Ghartey Royal Family led the people to sing various traditional songs through the principal streets, accompanied by firing of musketry. The police also followed with their vehicles, patrolling the streets, while others were deployed at vantage points. The Dentsifo number two Asafo company of the Ayeribi Acquaah family however did not take part in the ceremony. Early in the morning of the installation, Nana Ghartey in a palanquin was paraded through the town in the company of elders of the Ghartey Royal Family, the Otano and Twafo asafo companies.
This lasted until the afternoon when he was sent to the royal house to pour libation and swear the oath of allegiance.
The Chief Cashier of the Ghana Food Distribution Corporation, Mr. Alidu Ganda 55 is being held liable for the lost of ¢178.7 million from the corporation. Mr. Ganda who keeps the keys of the safe has claimed innocence.
Ganda who has been arrested by the Kaneshie Police is said to have explained to his bosses that even though he kept the money in the safe, he detected the next day it was mysteriously missing. Even though he claimed innocence, he said he should be held responsible till the suspects are found out. The loss has crippled the corporation financially and management are frantically looking for loan to keep the corporation moving. Meanwhile the Kaneshie police have confirmed the story.
REYNOLDS Akwesi Ofori, a 41-year-old Mathematics teacher at Atebubu Secondary School in the Brong Ahafo region, would have certainly spent last year's Christmas in prisons custody for having stolen two 'T' shirts at the Neoplan lorry station in Accra on December 14, 1995. Although he pleaded guilty with explanation, fortune however smiled on him after recounting the circumstances which led to the incident, which earned him the leniency and the indulgence of the court. "If the accused is a man of substance as he has told the court, then doubt. He must be made to refund the value of one shirt and be discharged" Said the court presided over by his Worship G.H.K. Debrah.
Teacher Ofori had earlier told the court that he was the author textbook entitled, MATHEMATICAL HANDBOOK FOR JSS STUDENTS, for which he intended seeing a printer to find out the cost of printing 10,000 copies. Ofori, a 1978 graduate from U.S.T. Kumasi, with a B.Sc. Hon. in Mathematics, was alleged to have stolen the 'T' shirts from one Samuel Danso, a washman at the Neoplan Station, from a line on which he had dried them after washing. Unfolding the facts of the case, Police Inspector Nora Odoi told the court, that on December 6, last year, Samuel Danso washed some clothing and hung them near a public bathroom.
She said Ofori, who is alleged to be a teacher and lives at East Legon in Accra, called on Samuel Danso to give him a shirt to wear, he was about to wash his. But Danso could not help him, with the explanation that he had already washed all his shirts. According to Inspector Odoi, no sooner had Ofori left Danso than he realised that two of his shirts valued at ¢18,000 have been stolen, and Ofori was nowhere to be found. Inspector Odoi said, on December 8, Ofori was spotted in an area by Danso who caused his arrest.
She said, in the process, one of the two stolen 'T' shirts was found on Ofori, who was subsequently handed over to the police who later charged him with stealing, after making investigations. In his explanation, teacher Ofori told the court that he had washed his last suit after his bag containing documents and his clothes got missing. He therefore approached Danso to help him by giving him a shirt to wear., but he refused to. In a bid to save himself from the awkward situation, he went behind the bathroom and saw a blue 'T' shirt which he alleged resembled that of one of his friends, Ben Appiah, so he took it and wore it. Ofori said when he came back for another bath two days later, after a visit to New Town, he was arrested by Danso for stealing his shirts.
Looking so wretched after a week in remand custody after a week in remand custody after the court's ruling, Ofori said that he had come to Accra to check on his bank account with the National Investment Bank (N.I.B.) and to inquire about the possibility of transferring some money from Atebubu to Accra. Meanwhile, as at the close of the day, teacher Ofori had no money on him to pay for the "T" shirt, as ordered by the court, or travel back to Atebubu to reunite with his wife and children, who were all unaware of the cause of his prolonged visit to Accra.
RESIDENTS of Tema Community one, site 14, were gripped with fear and horror on New Year's Eve last year, when a 30-year-old man allegedly murdered his 55-year-old mother in cold blood. Information gathered by the Tema Community one police, the man Kwadwo Panin who is alleged to be a notorious drug addict, had been living with his late mother, Madam Akua Donkor, since his return from Spain. Until her tragic demise, the deceased lived in the house where she was killed, which was situated near an Anglican Church where she operated a drinking bar with the inscription WO PE ASEM.
The murder, described by majority as pathetic and ruthless had incurred the anger of the deceased's family, as the underlying cause is shrouded in mystery, with regard to diverse reasons it has been attributed to. According to Police sources, on New Year's Eve, last year, Madam Donkor bought a fowl and prepared a meal of fufu and soup which she ate together with her son. They further said both the suspect and deceased retired to bed in their rooms, but shortly Panin went and attacked his mother, who was fast asleep with a kitchen knife, stabbing her in the neck, chest and abdomen.
According to the Police, after the gruesome act, Panin went outside and shouted, "I have killed my mother, I have killed my mother." This attracted a crowd who apprehended Panin and took him to the police station while the deceased was rushed to the Tema General Hospital, where she was pronounced dead on arrival. The police further said when Panin was interrogated, he said he had given an amount of $5,000 to his mother for safekeeping, and when he demanded it from her, she failed to give it to him and this triggered of his anger leading him to commit the murder.
In an interview, a member of the deceased's family, who was very shaken, disclosed that although they are very apprehensive of Panin's unusual and questionable behaviour, no one ever thought it could degenerate into such a tragedy. Another relative had this to say, "Madam Donkor was indeed a caring mother, always alive to her responsibilities, she had just taken her son to the hospital the previous day. Oh God! Is that her reward?" She broke down in tears.
A widespread rumour among some residents in the neighbourhood, who were also interviewed after the heinous crime, had it that Panin had on several occasions pestered his late mother to have sex with him, which she never agreed to, and this might have been the cause of his action. However a young man who was also interviewed said this wild theory was frivolous, however, he said, "whatever reasons the suspect might have had, the crude method he resorted to - killing his own mother was indeed a distasteful one." He added angrily, "so far as the law is concerned, Panin would not be exonerated, his said is a first degree felony". Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has since been buried at the Tema-Newtown cemetery.
A packed to capacity Tema circuit Tribunal witnessed a strange scenario when out of anxiety and desperation, an accused person stripped naked and eased herself whiles in the dock. The action of the accused Zuwula Yakubu, was so sensational that, the crowd in the courtroom could not help laughing, but others, predominantly the women among them, sympathised with the accused.
In the dock with Yakubu was Adwoa Pinamang the second accused, who stupefied by her friend's shameful act, instructed her to put up a good behaviour. When order was finally restored, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Edith Nutakor, told the court presided over my Major (rtd) J.Y. Aborbor, that the two accused persons, Zuwula Yakubu and Adwoa Pinamang, age 22, are unemployed and stay around the Kokomba market, in Accra. She said on January 6 this year, at about 2 p.m., the accused went to the Regimanuel Estates at Sakumono. They then entered the house of one Rose Awako, a trader, who had left for town and whiles Pinamang was keeping watch within the premises, Yakubu forcibly entered the room of the complainant, broke into her trunk and made away with four sets of women cover cloth, a pair of ladies black shoes, hand and travelling bags among others, all totalling about ¢300,000. The prosecutor disclosed that the accused hid the items in an uncompleted building and proceeded elsewhere for another operation. "This time, Yakubu and Pinamang went to Lashibi and stole similar items also totalling ¢290,000 belonging to one Mariama Adams. Her golden wrist watch and an amount of ¢30,000 which Yakubu, the first accused hid in her private parts, were also taken." disclosed Inspector Nutakor.
Luck however eluded them as they were arrested by a witness who instantly handed them over to the Sakumono Police. When the complainants came back to their respective abodes, they detected that the said items were missing. Upon hearing that some thieves had been arrested, they went to the Sakumono Police station, where they claimed ownership of the items after identifying them. Even though Yakubu and Pinamang pleaded not guilty to the offence of unlawful entry and stealing, they admitted stealing the said items, but explained that they returned some to the owners. Passing sentence, the presiding judge, Major (rtd) J.Y. Aborbor, said the explanation given by the accused persons confirms that they stole with a common purpose. "I see you to be notorious thieves, for the dock, you did not show any remorse at all after your shameful act", said the judge.
Each of them was sentence to 3 years imprisonment with hard labour. The court also ordered that, the retrieved items should be given to its owners. After the court session, a conducted survey to ascertain the views of the people towards the accused behaviour. Some members of the crowd were of the conviction that Yakubu's act was a calculated one purported to arouse the judge's sympathy. However, others were of the opinion that, she defecated in the dock as to convince the panel that she was mentally unbalanced. "She was aware of a probable sentence, and wanting to escape, behaved in that manner" said a gentleman who had come to listen to the proceedings.
Really, some men are born with such a beastly lust for sex that once they are in "full gear" nothing, would stop them from having their way. One such man, 48-year-old John Yao Holorku, started the year on a wrong note when he was caught raping a five-year-old girl on New Year's Day, January 1, 1996.
Prosecuting the case at the Aflao Circuit Court, Presided over by the Judge Ahmed Mohammed Mustapha, Police Inspector S.S.Sulley said the accused, John Yao Holorku attended a party where the victim was present with her father, on New Year's Day." After the party, the victim left to join her colleagues who were playing, the somewhere nearby. Holorku then sneaked out of the party, lured the victim to his room at Abeliakope and forcefully had sex with her, as a result of which her private parts were damaged.
"The father of the victim," the prosecutor continued, "started looking for his daughter and upon a tip off, traced her to the room of the accused where he found his daughter bleeding profusely. Holorku was then arrested, brought to the Aflao Police Station together with the victim and charged with rape. The victim was then sent to hospital for treatment." Inspector Sulley concluded. The accused pleaded guilty to the charge.
In his remarks, circuit court judge, Mustapha said he will not spare any rapist brought before him, as rape is now on the ascendancy, especially rape involving minors. He consequently sentenced John Yao Holorku to 10 years imprisonment, with hard labour.