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Real Betis and Celta Vigo faceoff today

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Real Betis players

Real Betis and Celta Vigo will be up against each other on Matchday 20 of the La Liga 2022-23 season. While Real Betis are on the 6th spot of the La Liga points table, Celta Vigo sit at the 18th position in the points table. In the 19 games played this season, Betis Have won 9 games, have drawn 4 games, and have been on the losing end on 6 occasions. In the process, they have scored 21 goals and conceded 16 goals.

Celta Vigo, on the other hand, have played 19 games in La Liga this season and have won 5 games, drawn 5 games, and have lost 9 games. In the process, they have scored 18 goals and conceded 29 goals this season in La Liga.

Celta will undoubtedly be the more rested team going into this game, and they will bet on their chances to make it difficult for the home team. However, Real Betis have performed well at home this season, amassing 17 points from nine games, and Pellegrini’s team will be eager to avenge their defeat to Barcelona, therefore we have decided on a low-scoring home victory.

Credit: pixstory.com

Crystal Palace host Manchester City at Selhurst Park

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Crystal Palace players

Fresh from their midweek victory over Aston Villa, Manchester City can momentarily climb to the Premier League summit if they beat Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday lunchtime.

The Citizens will be seeking revenge against the Eagles after they let a two-goal lead slip to draw 2-2 in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium in December. Since replacing Roy Hodgson at the end of February, Oliver Glasner has earned five points from his first five Premier League games in charge of Crystal Palace, with a 3-0 win over Burnley followed by two draws and two defeats.

However, goals have been hard to come by in recent home encounters with Man City, as they have failed to find the net in each of their last four meetings with the Citizens in front of their own fans. Although Palace have struggled to score in recent home meetings with Man City, they have frustrated the Citizens on numerous occasions at Selhurst Park and can be optimistic of breaching their backline this time around, considering that Guardiola’s side have kept only three clean sheets in 14 top-flight away games this season.

Credit: sportsmole.co.uk

Arsenal travel to Brighton as they keep pace in title race

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Arsenal players

Arsenal travel to Brighton on Saturday with Mikel Arteta’s side aiming to keep pace in the title race. The Gunners are challenging for their first Premier League trophy in 20 years, having narrowly missed out last season, and are embroiled in a fierce three-way battle with Liverpool and Manchester City.

Arsenal recorded a routine 2-0 victory over Luton on Wednesday night to make back to the top of the table before the Reds hosted Sheffield United 24 hours later.

Meanwhile, Brighton are ninth and are in contention for a Europa Conference League spot. Despite a stale goalless draw at Brentford in midweek, Roberto De Zerbi’s men look poised for a third consecutive top-half finish.

Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz both found the net as Arsenal beat the Seagulls at the Emirates in December. Bukayo Saka should return for the Gunners. The 22-year-old was unavailable against Luton after picking up a knock in last week’s stalemate with Manchester City.

Brighton are unbeaten in 12 home fixtures but Arsenal should be able to outstrength them and keep speed in the title race.

Credit: standard.co.uk

Feature: Sins in LGBQT+

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Feature

Perhaps, leading the hot issues in Ghana today, is this thing about LGBTQ+ activities. While some Ghanaians are saying, it is okay to have this strange culture infused into our age-long, tried, tested and trusted, way of conducting our lives, most of Ghanaians believe it is wrong and against divine law.

Sins of LGBTQ+ activitiesare the risks of not making it to Heaven, because of violation of God’s laws, that should be to the concern to all. When God created man, He set up some dos and don’ts. The don’ts, are what are classified as sin and man can do nothing about what is sin to God. Man cannot change or amend it.

It is not human law like the Constitution which can be changed or amended. One thing, we are not perfect beings so we cannot make perfect laws. God who is All Good and All Perfect, makes perfect laws.

It must be noted that no sin, or crime for that matter, is new on earth. Some may look new but they fall under categories of older sins committed during the early days of man.

God loves life and He loves living. In order to have life going on in this world, He gave the sacred gift of sex to man for reproduction (and also to all living things, even if some of them have entirely different forms of reproduction).

The Word of God in 1 Corinthians 6:16, tells us that the act of sex binds one spiritually. Therefore, it is so sacred that it must occur only between married couples, of the opposite sex (Genesis 2:24; Mark 10: 6-9),and not just anybody. Sex always binds two souls and multiple spirits together.

According to Paul Tripp, sex is a form of pleasure and every pleasure requires boundaries. Pleasure without boundaries always leads to danger. Sexual sin is not first an issue of environment; it’s first an issue of the condition of the heart.

So, with this gift of sex, came laws which must bestrictly conformed to, in order to maintain the divine orderliness in the act of sex. All of us who engage in sex, just for the fun of it, with someone who is not our spouse, violate the spirituality, wholeness and decency that sex is meant for. With this, it must be noted, that all violations of the laws on sex, are found in LGBTQ+ activities.

They disrupt God’s beautiful plan for sex and reproduction. Homosexuality, incest, bestiality and transgender is like telling God, it is okay to have sex any how I can even with animals.

In the case of incest, this could trigger off, the dying of families, since sooner than later certain traits, harmful to the growth of a person may affect that family.

Some people say God approved of incest, referring to Cain possibly marrying his sister. Peter Goeman has this to say: “When Adam and Eve were created by God, they contained the perfect, undamaged genetic information for the entire human race. However, due to sin, genetic mutations entered the human genome and slowly developed into pronounced ways over time.

‘By the time Israel became a nation, enough time and genetic mutations had occurred that there was significant “sameness” that existed between family units. Therefore, in order to preserve the uniqueness of new “one flesh” relationships, as well as to preserve humanity from the deleterious genetic effects of intermarrying into the same genetic mutation patterns, God made clear that marrying close relatives was now forbidden.

This would explain why marriage between family members in the pre-Israel time period was not taboo, but by the time God gives the Law to Moses (ca. 1446 BC) there is a significant amount of sameness that exists in people groups, and thus incest is a real possibility as described in Leviticus 18.”

Sexual sin, as in the case of all sins, is an immoral act considered to be a transgression against the divine law of God. While He deals with some sins lightly, He deals harshly with others and may even bring down serious disasters to cleanse the system. We must note that some sins can be forgiven in this life and in the life hereafter, while some cannot be forgiven here and cannot be forgiven in the life hereafter. This last set of sins is what is called the Eternal Sin (Matthew 12: 31-32).

Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit can come in many different forms. God, who is merciful and loving, will readily forgive us our sins. But there is a condition here, we must first show remorse and approach Him with a contrite heart and broken spirit. With the belief that Christ died for our sins, so no matter what wrong we commit, weare saved, is a blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.

That saying that, “God will understand,” so you go about sinning, is a blasphemy, because God does not condonesin in any way. To Him there is no difference between sin, committed during Adam and Eve’s era and sin committed today. To God, “All Sin Is Sin.”

What perhaps annoys God the most, is the attribution of good as evil and the attribution of evil as good.This was why Jesus talked about the Eternal Sin. He had cured a demon possessed man who was blind and mute, by driving out the demons. Instead of the Pharisees attributing His works to God, they stated that it was Beelzebul who drove out the demons. Evil spirits are foul spirits and in the case of Beelzebul, he was the demon of the refuse dump, meaning more than foul.

God gave us that sacred gift called sex, which must be used only between husband and wife. Even as we, sinful, gineful and wineful as we are, turned sex into a casual affair, which is very sinful; some people took this to another level and attribute what God sees as evil to be good.

God specifically, stated that homosexuality is evil in His sight (Leviticus 18:22, 20:13; Jude 1:7). Bestiality is evil in His sight (Exodus 22:19; Leviticus 18:23, 20: 15-16 and Deuteronomy 27:21). Incest is evil in His sight (Leviticus 18: 6-7, 8-10, 11-17; Leviticus 20: 11, 12, 14, 19-21 and Deuteronomy 27:20). In the case of incest, Ammon raped his half sister, Tamar and was killed for this (2 Samuel 13: 1-21,28) and Reuben slept with his father’s concubine and was penalized later (Genesis 35:22 and 49:4).

Transgender is evil in the sight of God (Deuteronomy 22:5). No matter how LGBTQ+ defend transgender, the Word of God spoke against women wearing male cloth and men wearing female cloth. It means that one must uphold and preserve the sexual identity he or she is given at birth. It is easy and seems okay for a woman to slip into men’s jeans and jacket but it looks awkward for a man to wear slit and kabaaand parade the streets.

What Deuteronomy 22:5 is saying here is that it is wrong for a man to change into a woman and a woman to change into a man. During those days, men change their outlook and pose as women to engage in homosexual activities and same applied to women. Even in this day and age, we see gays putting on make-ups, walking and talking like women.

From the days of Moses, transgender kept going on till this era, where modern science has developed a way of medically transforming male to female and female to male. The male can now wear a female’s skin and flesh and the female can do same. This is what Deuteronomy is talking against.

And all other forms of sexual immorality are evil in the sight of God (Romans 1: 24-25; 1 Corinthians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 12:21; Galatians 5:19-21). To God sex must be honoured and this honour should take place only between husband and wife, for, as stated in Hebrews 13:4, the Word of God says Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.”

God cannot stand sin in any form. Some of the sins, He deals drastically with death. LGBTQ+ activities are some of the sins God considers as Eternal Sin. Satan has been able to turn the minds of men away from God and dishonour this wonderful and sacred gift called sex, by profaning it and daring God to do His worse.

And yes, He can and He will, unless we all turn to Him, very remorseful, with contrite hearts and broken spirits and blaming no oneelse, but ourselves for our spiritual waywardness and plead for His mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Sex is sacred and so should be treated decently. It is a sacred gift from God to be used only in marital relationship. This relationship is between a male and female and not same-sex.

It should always be between husband and wife and Proverbs 5: 15-23, has this to say. “Be faithful to your own wife, just as you drink water from your own well. Don’t pour your water in the streets; don’t give your love to just any woman. These things are yours alone and shouldn’t be shared with strangers.

Be happy with the wife you married when you were young. She gives you joy, as your fountain gives you water. She is as lovely and graceful as a deer. Let her love always make you happy; let her love always hold you captive. My son, don’t be held captive by a woman who takes part in adultery. Don’t hug another man’s wife.

The Lord sees everything you do, and he watches where you go. An evil man will be caught in his wicked ways; the ropes of his sins will tie him up. He will die because he does not control himself, and he will be held captive by his foolishness.”

If anyone wants pleasure outside of what God has designed for us; he or she willneed rescuing and empowering grace. It applies to all of us who engage in Just-Sex or Casual Sex, but most importantly to the LGBTQ+. No one can amend any of God’s laws. He knows how good abiding by His laws will be to us.

(Stay tune for Racism and LGBTQ+)

By Hon Daniel Dugan

Osei-Kyei-Mensah Bonsu warns NPP: Breaking ‘The 8’ Won’t Be A Child’s Play

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Osei-Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu

Mr Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, the Member of Parliament for Suame and Minister for Parliamentary Affairs has reminded the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) of the task ahead of them in the upcoming December general elections.

According to him, breaking the 8 would not be an easy task and that it is going to be a difficult enterprise.

The former Majority leader was speaking at his Kumasi residence on Easter Monday, where he formally announced to some Chief Imams and party’s Executives and Elders that he would not be in Parliament again after the December general elections.

According to him, the party needs a united force and focus to contest the elections to break ‘the 8’.

The former Majority Leader called on the party supporters and sympathisers to support Dr Mahammud Bawumia, the flagbearer, to win power.

The Suame MP reminded the party that other regions are looking up to the Ashanti region for inspiration, hence the need for the executives at all levels to ensure unity among the ranks.

The former Majority leader said he had achieved a lot in his constituency in terms of infrastructural development, including education and health, and urged the constituents to give all the needed support for Mr John Darko, his successor, to work closely with Dr. Mahamudu to win the December 2024 general elections.

Housing Sector Is Being Revolutionised –KON

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Kojo Oppong Nkrumah touring one of the affordable housing sites

The Minister for Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has disclosed that there are currently 10,720 housing units in the Greater Accra Region that are at various levels of development to help reduce Ghana’s housing deficit.

He made the disclosure when he led staff of the Ministry to inspect ongoing construction works at the various sites on Tuesday, March 26, 2024.

Speaking to journalists during the inspection exercise, the Minister emphasised that with a current urban population of 58 percent, an urbanisation rate of 3.3 percent and a housing deficit of 1.8 million units, the pressing issue of housing has become a critical developmental challenge for the country, which needs addressing urgently.

Detailing the scope of the housing projects, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah outlined various initiatives underway, with specific focus on key areas such as the Tema Development Company (TDC) Affordable housing enclave in Kpone and Community 22, Pokuase, Tessano and Lartebiokorshie.

“More than 10,000 units of property are under development in various stages. Under the TDC Affordable Housing enclave, we’ve already done about 1,072 and we’re just about to start work on the phase IV, which is about 800.

“In Community 22 we’ve already done 300 heading to 400 and then they’re going to start the next phase which brings it to about 600.

One of the mega projejcts

“In Pokuase, there are about 8,000 though they’re behind schedule. In Tessano we’ve got about 320 that are almost completed and in Lartebiokorshie we’ve got about 100 units. So by the time all of it is completed, this should give us more than 10,000 units,” the Minister said.

The housing deficit has been a pressing issue in Ghana for many years. This lack of affordable housing has led to substandard living conditions among Ghanaians.

However, the construction of these new housing units, according to the Minister is part of a broader government initiative aimed at increasing housing stock and bringing down rental prices.

He said the types of housing units being constructed vary from single-family homes to subsidised 1, 2 and 3 housing units. This variety aims to cater for the diverse needs and income levels of the population.

This, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said, the Ministry is working collaboratively with private sector developers and stakeholders to expedite construction and bring these housing units to market as soon as possible.

He said government is also exploring additional avenues to construct more affordable houses to bridge the 1.8 million deficit.

Minority in parliament demand increase in farm-gate price of cocoa

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Cocoa

The Minority members in Parliament say they have taken notice of recent developments on the international market relative to the prices of cocoa.

In a statement signed by the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Food, Agric & Cocoa Affairs, Mr Eric Opoku, the group said they have observed that global cocoa prices have been soaring in recent time, hitting an all-time high of $10,000 USD per ton.

“The recent increase in cocoa prices on the world market has been occasioned by the global shortage of cocoa owing to a significant decline in cocoa output in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, who contribute approximately 70 percent of the total volume of cocoa produced globally”, the statement said.

The following is the full press statement;

The Minority in Parliament has taken notice of recent developments on the international market relative to the prices of cocoa. We have observed that global cocoa prices have been soaring in recent time, hitting an all-time high of $10,000 USD per ton.

The recent increase in cocoa prices on the world market has been occasioned by the global shortage of cocoa owing to a significant decline in cocoa output in Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, who contribute approximately 70 percent of the total volume of cocoa produced globally.

The NDC is deeply concerned about the sharp decline in Ghana’s cocoa production volumes under the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government.

This situation is set to get even worse, as Ghana’s cocoa production for the 2023/2024 crop season is reported to be about 450,000mt; the lowest in the past two decades.

This sad situation is fast-eroding the incomes and purchasing power of our already-impoverished cocoa farmers. As a matter of fact, the living conditions of Ghanaian cocoa farmers keep worsening by the day due to the sharp decline in cocoa output.

Clearly, this negative trend will persist if the farm-gate price of cocoa is not significantly increased, to compensate for the loss in income of farmers.

It is instructive to note, that the average international market price of cocoa currently stands at Ten Thousand United States Dollars ($10,000) per ton (16 bags) of cocoa. This is equivalent to GHS130,000 per ton, at a conservative exchange rate of $1 to GHS13.

This means that a bag of cocoa is currently being sold on the world market at about GHS8,125, while the Ghanaian farmer is being paid a paltry GHS1,308 by the insensitive and corrupt Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government.

This is a clear rip-off of our hard-working cocoa farmers by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia NPP government who continue to mismanage the cocoa sector.

The NDC caucus in Parliament therefore demands that the government immediately increases the farm-gate price of cocoa to reflect the recent unprecedented hike in the world market prices of cocoa.

We are appalled by the continuous mismanagement of the cocoa sector and the short-changing of our hard working Ghanaian cocoa farmers by the ruling NPP government.

Last year, Ghana lost about 150,000mt of cocoa valued at almost $400,000,000 to smuggling. This was occasioned by the fact that, our hardworking cocoa farmers were not offered competitive prices by the insensitive Akufo-Addo/Bawumia/NPP government.

 

The reoccurrence of this situation this year, will have dire consequences for the cocoa industry which is on the verge of collapse due to gross mismanagement and corruption.

It is sad to note, that while our hard working cocoa farmers continue to be shortchanged, COCOBOD’s administrative expenses which stood at less than GHS500 million in 2016, increased to GHS1.7 billion in 2020, and ballooned further to GHS2.5 billion in 2021.

Only this week, we sighted an official document in which the Management of COCOBOD has granted approval for the purchase of fifteen (15) ipad keyboards for its Board of Directors at a staggering cost of GHS4,500.00 per unit.

This is the clearest evidence yet, that the management of COCOBOD have prioritized waste and the comfort of their offices at the expense of hard working cocoa farmers. Also, it is symptomatic of the recklessness and mismanagement that have plagued COCOBOD for the past seven years which accounts for the cumulative losses of GHS13.62 billion, recorded by COCOBOD since 2017.

It is the considered view of the Minority Caucus, that urgent steps be taken to save our dying cocoa sector now. It is therefore imperative, that government significantly increases the farm-gate price of cocoa, in consonance with the current world market price of cocoa.

This we believe will incentivise our farmers and discourage the smuggling of cocoa beans amid all the challenges bedevilling the industry.

Sunyani-Berekum-Sampa road to be asphalted   

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Mr. Francis Asenso-Boakye, the Minister for Roads and Highways has cut the sod for work to begin on a 120-kilometer asphaltic overlay of the Sunyani to Berekum and Sampa road in the Bono Region.

The road works, with a budget of $125 million, is to be executed under a fixed-term contract and scheduled for completion within 24 months.

The scope of work for this 120-kilometer road project include the construction of drainage structures, the laying of a 150mm thick crushed rock base material, the application of a 50mm thick asphalt binder course, the application of a 40mm thick asphalt wearing course, and the installation of road signs and road line markings.

Mr. Asenso-Boakye, at a sod cutting ceremony at Jinijini, in the Berekum West District, as part of his Regional tour to inspect roads emphasised that the project was a crucial step towards fulfilling the aspirations of the people in the region.

He emphasised that the objectives of implementing programmes for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of major critical roads throughout the country were being successfully realized for safe and reliable road network in facilitating the movement of people and contributing to continuous economic growth.

Mr. Asenso-Boakye observed that infrastructure served as the foundation for development and played a crucial role in the nation’s path towards economic prosperity and social well-being.

He said the project served as a vital link connecting Berekum to the border town of Sampa, through key cashew-growing towns such as Jinijini, Japekrom, Drobo, Dwenem, Seketia and Suma Ahenkro.

Mr. Asenso-Boakye said the completion of the project would improve access to markets, healthcare and education and also facilitate trade with neighboring country, La Cote d’Ivoire.

Osabarima Kyere Yeboah Darteh II, Nsapohene and acting president of the Berekum Traditional Council, expressed appreciation for the road infrastructure investment made by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government in the area.

He called for measures to be implemented to ensure the construction of durable roads that would last longer thereby preventing the need for reinvestment in already built roads to  save government funds and again contribute to the long-term development and sustainability of the country’s road network.

The minister also inspected some roads and drainage systems in Odumase, located in the Sunyani West Municipality and also assessed the road network in the Wenchi Municipality.

From Benjamin Akoto  

GNA  

2 females, 9 males in court over alleged narcotic offences

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Court

Two females and nine males between the ages of 18 and 52 years have been hauled before the Accra Circuit Court for unlawful possession of drugs.

They are Ethel Anaab, 28 a trader, Daniel  Tetteh Botchway, 52 a farmer, Ruth Botchway, 20 a trader, Kofi Nti, 29 a driver and Benette Adjei, 29 a chef.

The rest are Owuraku Agyemang, 23 unemployed, Joshua Odamtien, 23 unemployed, Isaac Boateng, 34 a trader, Stephen Kofi Appiani, 20 unemployed, Roger Abeiku Danso Mensah, 30  a cleaning agent and Denis Laryea, 23 unemployed.

All 11 accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charge when presented before the judge, Mr Samuel Bright Acquah on March 27, 2024.

The court after taking their plea, remanded them into lawful custody to make the next appearance in court on April 8, 2024.

Reading the brief facts of the case to the court, ASP Maxwell Oppong, the prosecutor told the court that complainant and witnesses in the case are personnel of the Ghana Military Police, stationed at Burma Camp Accra.

The 11 accused persons lives at La Palm-Wine Junction area and a spot near La Villas, Burma Camp, where people in the La township often gather and peddle in narcotic substances.

On March 22, 2024 about 2.00 pm, the complainant and witnesses picked up intelligence that the accused persons have gathered at the said spot peddling and using narcotic substances.

The team organised a swoop at the said location, which resulted in the arrest of the accused persons, and each was found smoking quantity of substance suspected to be narcotic at the said spot.

During the operation, a quantity of similar plant substance was found in black polythene bag, but security officers are yet to establish the owner.

The complainant and witnesses arrested the accused persons together with the plant substances suspected to be narcotic and handed them over to the La Police for action.

The prosecutor said efforts are being made to get the plant substance tested.

He added that while the case is still under investigation, the accused persons were brought before the honourable court per the offence as contained on the charge sheet.

Two in court for allegedly robbing online trader

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Accra Circuit Court

Two persons have been arraigned before an Accra Circuit Court for allegedly robbing an online trader of electronic gadgets worth GH¢126,300.

They are Edward Kweku Sena, a 43-year-old Instructor and Derrick Botchway a 35-year-old Driver.An accomplice, whose name was given as Quaye, is at large.Sena and Botchway have been charged with conspiracy to commit crime and robbery.

Also in the dock is Okoh Chuks, a 32-year-old trader and Enoch Okyere, aka Lawerh, who are being held on the charge of dishonestly receiving.

The Police said accomplices of Chuks and Okyere, namely Denis and one Benjamin Addo are also at large.

They are alleged to have received one Samsung Tablets A8 and other electronic devices belonging to the Complainant, Isaac Kofi Amano, at Kwame Nkrumah Circle on February 12, 2024.

At the Court, the accused- Sena, Botchway, Chuks and Okyere- pleaded not guilty to the various charges.

The court, presided over by MrsKizita Naa Koowa Quashie, admitted them to bail in the sum of GHC500,000 each, with two sureties to be justified.

The accused were ordered to deposit their passports, copies of Voter’s ID or Ghana Cards at the court registry.The court further ordered them to report to the police once a week.

The matter has been adjourned to April 30, 2024.

Brief

The prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Haligah, stated that the Complainant, Amano, is an online trader and a resident of Lashibi, Tema.

It said Okoh, the first accused, is a phone dealer and a resident of Ofankor Barrier and Sena, the second accused, is a Cadet Instructor.

The third accused, Okyere, is a businessman and the fourth accused, Botchway, is a driver living at Accra.

The Prosecutor stated that Quaye, the fifth accused, Benjamin Addo, the sixth accused, “The Don,” the seventh accused and Denis, the eighth accused are all at large.

According to the prosecution, on February 12, 2024, the complainant advertised an Apple iPad Pro valued at GHC 7,000.00 on an online trading site, jiji.com, and was contacted by a buyer who pretended to be interested.

The court heard that the buyer then lured the complainant to the LEKMA Polyclinic in Teshie around 1700 hours for the transaction.

The prosecution said the complainant was attacked upon arrival by some unknown individuals posing as police officers from the CID headquarters.

According to the prosecution, the alleged Police Officers immediately handcuffed the complainant at gunpoint and forcefully dragged him into their car, collected all his items, including 12 Samsung Galaxy tablets valued at GHC 79, 200.00, six Apple iPad tablets valued at GHC 16,600.00, one iPhone 13 pro max valued at GHC 8, 400.00 and a Dell laptop valued at GHC 3,500.

The prosecution said the alleged officers also collected an iPad 3 Air valued at GHC 4,500.00, an iPhone 12 Pro Max valued at GHC 6,500.00, a Samsung Galaxy A12 costing GHC 1500, three Samsung Galaxy keyboards valued at GHC 4,500, two Samsung Galaxy cases valued at GHC 200, and an iPad keyboard valued at GHC 1,400, and took the complainant into their car to be allegedly sent to the CID headquarters.

It said when the men reached the Palace Mall, on the Spintex road, they threw the complainant out of their car and fled with the entire bounty.

The court was told that the alleged police officers robbed the complainant at gunpoint of his Samsung A12 mobile phone and an HP laptop.

According to the prosecutor, the complainant reported the matter to the police and subsequently petitioned the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for a thorough investigation to be conducted.

On February 14, 2024 Chuks was arrested at Kwame Nkrumah Circle with one of the Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 and was brought to the CID Headquarters for interrogation.

During interrogation, Chuks admitted to receiving the stolen tablet from one of the eight accused, Denis, whom he has known for a long time, but failed to lead the police to the arrest.

The prosecution said the complainant identified the Samsung Tablet A8 as one of the items stolen from him on February 12, 2024.

It said on March 22, 2024, Sena and Addo were spotted at LEKMA Hospital after a series of robberies by some of their victims.

The prosecution said Sena was arrested with the assistance of a police patrol team, but Addo, the sixth accused, managed to escape.

The prosecutor said a search conducted in their car revealed one handcuff, a police force Gota phone and a desert boot.

The prosecution said Okyere and Botchway were subsequently arrested at their respective hideouts for their involvement in the crime.

The prosecutor said Sena and Botchway during interrogation admitted to robbing some victims of their valuables, together with one Quaye who is still at large, and sold some to Addo, Don and Dennis.

It said police investigation revealed that on February 12, 2024, Botchway and Quaye, who are currently at large, posed as police officers from the CID Headquarters, robbed the complainant of his items and sold some of them to Chuks, Addo, the Don and Dennis through Okyere.

On February 25, 2024, during an identification parade held outside the forecourt of the CID offices, the complainant identified Sena and Botchway as a part of the gang that robbed him on February 12, 2024.

By Joyce Danso/Mavis Anokye Mensah

GNA

The Ghanaian Chronicle