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Harrison Addo, Sheikh Tophic sentenced to 24hrs imprisonment

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Prosper Harrison Addo, General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association

Prosper Harrison Addo, General Secretary of the Ghana Football Association (GFA), and Sheikh Tophic Abdul-Kadir Sienu, a Sport Journalist, have been sentenced to a day imprison by an Accra High Court for contempt.

The trial judge, Nicholas M.C. Abodakpi, slapped Harrison Addo with a fine of 2,000 penalty units (GH¢2,400) and in default to 30 days imprisonment, while Sheikh Tophic was given 1,000 penalty units (GH¢1,000), in default 14 days imprisonment.

The sentences were handed down to them yesterday. Harrison Addo and Sheikh Tophic stood trial with 12 others, as the 13th and 14th defendants respondents.

Justice Abodakpi, however, discharged and acquitted the others – Kurt Okraku, Mark Addo, Dr. Tony Audynn, Oburo Sarfo, and Dr. Randy Abbey, Kingsley Osei Bonsu, Linford Asamoah, Sammy Anim Addo, George Amoako, Fredrick Acheampong, Abiba Atta, and Salifu Shaibu Zida, all of the GFA.

The court freed the 12 on the grounds that they were not served with its orders, whereas Harrison Addo and Sheikh Tophic were found guilty based on their own utterances that they had knowledge of the order of the court a day before commencement of the league.

The trial was in respect of a contempt application filed by Ashanti Gold Sporting Club.

Driver gets 56 years imprisonment for breach of trust

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Court

The Circuit Court 8, presided over by Her Honour Adeliade Abui Keddy, has found Isaac Dwomoh, also known Nana Yaw, a driver, guilty of selling and dishonestly misappropriating two unregistered Caterpillar excavators, as well as four wheel drives.

He was sentenced to a total of 56 years in prison last week on four counts of fraudulent breach of trust. The sentence on the counts runs between 10 and 12 years, and it is to run concurrently.

The sentence follows his plea of guilty, but would be serving 12 years.

Prosecuting the case, ASP Emmanuel Haligah prayed the court that the sentence be retributive and deterrent enough to serve as a lesson to likeminded persons.

According to him, the com­plainant is a retired nurse domiciled in the United Kingdom, while convict, Dwomoh, lived in Ghana.

ASP Haligah said in February, 2019, the complainant arrived in the country on holiday.

The court heard that on the arrival of complainant at Koto­ka International Airport (KIA), Accra, she requested an Uber ride service to take her to Haatso in Accra, and Dwomoh was assigned to her.

ASP Haligah said after a few months of the complainant’s stay in Ghana, she bought a KIA Picanto saloon car for Dwomoh to use as Uber ride service and left for London.

The prosecution said while in London, the complainant was in constant touch with Dwomoh, and through their conversations she declared the intent to return to Ghana.

ASP Haligah said while in Lon­don, the complainant shipped two CAT excavators valued at €135,000 each, a Toyota RAV4 utility vehicle, valued at €20,000 and sent €5,000 Euros to Dwomoh.

The prosecution told the court that in December 2022, when the complainant arrived in the country and asked Dwomoh to ‘pick’ her at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA), he did not show up, switched off his phone and went into hiding.

ASP Haligah said all efforts by the complainant to trace the accused and the vehicles proved futile.

According to the prosecution, the complainant reported the matter to the police and Dwomoh was arrested at a hideout.

The prosecution said Dwomoh, in his cautioned statement, admit­ted selling all the vehicles and misappropriating the proceeds.

 

Judge orders Opuni’s trial to start afresh after 6yrs

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Dr Stephen K. Opuni, former CEO, COCOBOD

The trial of the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and two others has taken a new twist, as the new Judge has ordered the six-year case to be started ‘de novo’ (afresh).

This decision of the new Judge, Justice Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, who presides over the Land Court ‘2’ of the Accra High Court, follows the retirement of Clemence Honyenuga, a Justice of the Supreme Court, with the additional duty of the High Court, shooting down of the prosecution’s prayer to adopt the previous judge’s proceedings.

Justice Gyimah’s decision was delivered yesterday, after having considered the arguments from the counsel of both sides in the case – the prosecution and defence lawyers.

In his ruling, His Lordship said it would be unfair for him to adopt proceedings “saddled” with numerous allegations.

Meanwhile, last Thursday, March 30, 2023, the prosecution, led by Evelyn Keelson, moved a motion inviting the court to adopt the previous proceedings to enable the trial continue.

According to her, the new judge should consider the number of years the case had traveled, the stage it had reached, as well as the number of witnesses that had been called to testify.

She noted that the case had, on many occasions, gone to the Supreme Court, with several rulings given, therefore, starting it de novo (afresh or anew) would cause a miscarriage of justice.

She added that the demeanour of the accused should not be the key consideration in the instant application, as no miscarriage of justice would be served if the proceedings were adopted and the case not started de novo.

The court will try Dr. Opuni, businessman Seidu Agongo (A2), and his company, Agricult Ghana Limited (A3).

Counsel on the defence side, Samuel Codjoe and Benson Nutsukpi, however, kicked against the argument of the prosecution and want the court to do otherwise.

Mr. Codjoe, speaking on behalf of A1, said the application by the prosecution was alien to criminal justice, and same had been settled by the Supreme Court.

Explaining that in civil matters the practice was that it was the Judge who determined, but in a criminal case that adoption and reforms had not been carried.

According to him, in criminal trials, cases start de novo and the reason was that it would be unfair to the accused persons.

He told the court that this principle was grounded in the golden rule that it was better people who were guilty walk free than to imprison an innocent person.

Opuni’s counsel added that Section 80 of the Evidence Act referred to by the prosecution makes it clear that the court had to look at the demeanour of the accused, but it was not the sole determining fact. He averted the court to the fact that in criminal cases the rights of the individual was considered.

Furthermore he asked: “If the state says upon all its machinery the state suffers, how much more the accused?

“We are saying that if you consider the essence of criminal trials and the judicial rules, the case has to start de novo.”

Counsel also reminded the court that Article 129(2) of the 1992 Constitution established that the decision of the court was binding on all lower courts.

“We prayed that the trial starts de novo, and what the prosecution failed to add was that though we have called seven witnesses, we have 4 more to call for the first accused. Why the State with all its apparatus is asking for adoption? It would be unfair to the accused, but also against the established practice.”

Benson Nutsukpi, counsel for A2 and A3, was also opposed to the application and reiterated that the practice was to start the trial de novo, and anything contrary was yet to be decided by the Apex Court.

The court has adjourned the case to enable it interrogates some of the issues arisen.

Background

Opuni’s trial started with the previous judge in May 2018.

The prosecution closed its case after calling seven witnesses, for which Dr. Opuni also opened his defence and has, so far, called seven witnesses, with four more to go.

The former COCOBOD CEO and the others have been charged with money laundering, corruption of public office, violation of the Procurement Act, defrauding by false pretences, and wilfully causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH¢2.1 billion in a fertiliser deal.

They have pleaded not guilty to the 27 charges, and are on GH¢300,000.00 self-recognisance bail each.

Editorial: Illegal sale of lands must stop! Perpetrators must be punished

By
THE CHRONICLE
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Editorial

On March 30, 2023, The Chronicle reported that over 1,000 residents of Sun City, a suburb of Gomoa Buduburam in the Gomoa East District, had been left stranded following their eviction from a parcel of land that was in dispute.

According to reports, personal belongings of the affected persons were thrown out of their homes and the entrances blocked with new padlocks to prevent them from accessing the place.

It was reported that the Plaintiff, who claimed ownership of the land, won the case in court against the residents of the area, and had secured a court order to demolish all the houses on the said property, in order to give effect to the judgement of the court.

Residents who have had their houses demolished have described the action of the Plaintiff, as well as the police taskforce as awful and have called on the government to intervene in the matter.

In fact, the District Chief Executive (DCE) of the area, Mr. Solomon Darko Quarm, has described the exercise as an act of insurgency on the people of Gomoa East.

The argument put forth by both the victims and their DCE was that they were not properly engaged before the commencement of the exercise.

As much as The Chronicle respects the court’s judgement, we also hold the view that the execution of the order should not be done in a draconian manner, but to temper justice with mercy.

We are not saying the victor in the court case should not carry out the order, but we must also bear in mind that Ghana has opted for a democratic dispensation and one of its tenets is to respect established institutions and their orders. All we are saying is that when it involves human lives we must temper justice with mercy.

Some of the evicted residents have children who have to be in school and aged parents who need constant attention. Whilst executing the court order, did anyone stop to think about how these categories of dependents are going to cope with the situation?

The Chronicle thinks the new land owner should afford the victims a little time to prepare and move out of the place. This Rambo-style approach of executing court orders by using security personnel should be a thing of the past.

Also, we think it is time the stakeholders call a national dialogue on land acquisition in modern times. Stories of people being ejected from their homes on the basis of wrongfully acquiring lands, which they had gone through the chiefs or stools to buy and later dealt with the assemblies who issue them with permits for building has become one too many. The land tenure system needs to undergo severe overhauling.

Royal Anona Busua Family: Ignore fake enstoolment of Kwabena Antwi as Ahanta Overlord

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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Kwabena Antwi, the purported overlord of Ahanta

Four gates within the Royal Anona Busua Stool Family have denounced one Kwabena Antwi, a former parliamentary candidate on the ticket of the Progressive Peoples Party (PPP) in the Kwesimintsim Constituency, as the enstooled Overlord of Ahanta.

Last Sunday, a few people carried and paraded Kwabena Antwi in a palanquin on the streets of Busua as the enstooled chief of Ahanta to replace the late Overlord, Otumfour Baidoo Bonso XV.

But the four gates have come out in a press statement to denounce Kwabena Antwi as the enstooled overlord.

In a statement signed by Ebusuapayin Kwesi Bediako, Safohene Nana Ahamanze, Omankrado Nana Azuro Prah, Ebusuapayin Nana Anwanzi, and Ebusuapayin Kofi Ackon, the four asked the public to disregard the enstoolment, because nothing of that sort had happened.

The four described the purported enstoolment that happened last Sunday as fake, a sham and desecration of the rich customs and traditions of the people of Ahanta.

“As [the] Royal Anona Family of Busua, which is clothed with power, right, and capacity to select, elect, and nominate a Chief for the Stool, we are by this press statement setting the record straight, that no one has been selected and nominated for the Stool, moreover enstooled.”

As a result, the public, by this press statement, is advised to disregard the purported enstoolment of Kwabena Antwi as Chief of Ahanta.

The statement also extended an invitation to the police to cause the immediate arrest of Kwabena Antwi and all others, including chiefs who took part in the purported enstoolment.

To the royal family, the purported enstoolment could have disrupted the peace of Ahanta, a reason they were calling on the police to effect the arrest of those involved in attempting to disturb the peace of Ahanta.

The statement added, however, that it was a fact that the Overlord of Ahanta, Otumfour Baidoo Bonsoe XV, was unwell and, as such, seeking medication.

“So, for another to attempt to replace him (Baidoo Bonsoe XV) by way of [a] sham enstoolment, when the former knows that the latter was seeking medication, is traditionally and customarily untenable.”

The statement warned that any attempt by the Regional House of Chiefs (WRHC) and the National House of Chiefs (NHC) to gazette Kwabena Antwi as Overlord of Ahanta may not bode well for the peace of Ahanta, and the region as a whole.

For this reason, if the Regional House of Chiefs and NHC have no hand in the shambolic, sham and fake enstoolment of Kwabena Antwi, they should do the right thing by distancing themselves from him.

The statement added that, by custom, the Busua Stool did not enstooled on a Sunday, but rather Monday.

“By enstooling [the] Busua Stool on Sunday is an utter desecration of custom and tradition, and this is what Kwabena Antwi and his cohorts like Etsin Kofi, Ngodzi Essoun have done.”

This, the statement added, should even tell any right thinking individual that these characters had no good intention for Ahanta.

Nsein chiefs celebrates heritage month …in remembrance of fallen ancestors

By
KWESI ALFRED ADAMS
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The Linguist pouring libation

The chiefs and people of Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Council have celebrated the Ghana Heritage Month with a colorful durbar at Atwea Banso in remembrance of their fallen ancestors.

The occasion also saw the preparation of local Ghanaian traditional dishes for the guest who turned up to celebrate the month, and a brochure detailing the complete history of the people of Nsein, including the history of their chiefs. The Paramount Chief of the area, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, is credited with the compilation of the history of the people of Nsein, as contained in the brochure.

Agyefi Kwame II sitting in state to celebrate the Heritage month

The occasion saw a retinue of clergy present, including Nzema citizens domiciled outside the region who attended the celebration.

Some of the clergy who turned up, included Apostle J.B. Danquah, Bishop Larry Murray, Very Rev. Phillip Amoah, Apostle Richard Williams, Pastor Yeboah Koranteng, and Lady Prophet Portia Danquah.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Nzema East Assembly, Dorcas Elizabeth Amoah, was also present to grace the Heritage Month celebration.

Nana Mgbele Asumadu V, Chief of Atwea Banso and Tufuhene of the Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area, was the Chairperson for the occasion.

Nana Mgbele Asumadu expressing delight for the honour done her to chair the occasion, and did not mince words when she said: “Our heritage is our land.”

She commended the Awulae Kwame II for finding it necessary to plan the Heritage Month programme.

“Really fulfilled as a woman of God to understand my roots; this great vision will last for generations. Let all chiefs’ get involved and not forget their generations,” Nana Mgbele told the gathering.

Tufuhene Mgbele, however, admonished the children to learn the traditions of the land and county.

That apart, she indicated: “All chiefs who are going to hold this great vision should do so with prestige. [The] youth should ask questions about their heritage.” This was because, “roots that are not taken care off cannot bear good fruits.”

To that end, she further admonished: “We should change our mindset; to know culture is necessary, and keep the good traditions of our land.”

Awulae Agyefi Kwame II pointed out: “Today marks an important landmark in the history of the Lower Town Axim and Nsein Traditional Area. We are re-enacting a history that dates back to the year 1840. That was the year the great ancestors of the Atwea Aduana Family, led by Nana Kobina Enwi, founded and settled at a place referred to as Atzim (now Axim).”

Awulae repeated that a nation that did not honour its heroes was not worth dying for, a reason the Council was marking Heritage Month in remembrance and celebration of their forefathers.

The theme for the celebration was “Protecting the Legacy of the Forefathers of Lower Town Axim and Nsein – A charge to keep.”

ECG disconnects 310 customers in Tema

By
INUSAH MUSAH
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An ECG staff checking the state of a meter during the operation in a part of Tema

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Tema Region has disconnected 310 defaulting customers from the national grid, Sakyiwaa Mensah, Public Relations Officer (PRO), told journalists.

The disconnections were done as part of the Company’s one-month nationwide revenue mobilisation programme, which began on March 20, this year, and is expected to end on April 20.

The 310 disconnected customers were part of a total of 2,344 who were visited within the first two weeks of the exercise, and they include individuals and small, medium and large scale enterprises.

Revenue mobilisation is usually part of the ECG’s operations and is handled by the Revenue Protection Unit of the company.

However, for this special exercise, Miss Sakyiwaa said the organisation rallied the management team and all back-end staff from the very top to the bottom, who do not usually deal with customers directly, to partake in this activity.

The members of the Board of Directors also joined in this exercise.

She said the Tema Regional General Manager for the ECG, Ing Ankomah Emmanuel, encouraged customers to “do well to pay up their bills to avoid debt and possible disconnection.”

He entreated customers not to make any payment whatsoever to any staff of the company on the field, as that was not part of this exercise. All customers are to make all cash payments at the ECG offices, and to make cheque payments at the banks.

Alternatively, payments can be made through the phone short code *226#. Ing Ankomah added that the exercise would continue, while hoping that more customers would work towards clearing their debts owed the ECG,” she advised.

GEXIM Exposes Shippers to credit facilities to support operations

By
BERNICE BESSEY
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Members of the Ashanti Regional Shipper Committee in a group photograph.

Members of the Ashanti Regional Shipper Committee (ARSC) have been educated on credit facilities at the Ghana Exim Bank (GEXIM) aimed at enabling exporters to enhance their operations to increase the volumes of export and through that help to strengthen the Cedi.

A representative of GEXIM, Mr. Saani Sulemana, presented the information on the credit facilities during the 174th meeting of the ARSC at the Kumasi Branch office of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) on Wednesday March 22, 2023.

Members of the ARSC contributing during deliberations.

Delivering his presentation, Mr. Sulemana explained that the Bank provides collateral for loans to exporters who are unable to meet the requirements necessary to guarantee their desired loan amounts.

The shippers were reminded of a thirty-five million US dollar ($35m) facility from GEXIM targeted at supporting exporters in the production and exportation of yam. The facility is part of interventions to ensure that Ghana maintains its position as the leading exporter of yam globally.

A representative of the Ghana EXIM Bank

The Kumasi Branch Manager of the GSA, Mr. John B.A. Glover advised the shippers to consciously solicit financial advice pertaining to their peculiar operations, and honour their financial obligations to their financiers to enhance their creditworthiness.

He further used the opportunity to remind the shippers of the GSA’s Shipper Complaints and Supports Unit (SCSU) located at the various entry points of the country to provide real-time assistance to shippers should they encounter challenges.

Goaso Nurses College Grows In Leaps And bounds

By
SEBASTIAN R. FREIKU
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Samuel Ansu-Frimpong, Principal

The Goaso Nursing and Midwifery Training College has made a remarkable breakthrough over the years, culminating in an increase of student population from 1,060 against initial 46 in 2010.

As the first midwifery training school in the Ahafo region, it has achieved its objective of training midwives to curb high maternal mortality in the region, having trained 800 professional midwives and 450 General Nurses, since its inception in December 2010.

The Principal capping a student during the matriculation ceremony

The school, which started as a Post NAP/NAC Midwifery school added the Registered Midwifery and Registered General Nursing programmes in 2015 and 2017 respectively.

This year, the school admitted 374 students out of which 193 and 171 are pursuing the Registered Midwifery and General Nursing programmes respectively, with 10 into the Post NAP/NAC Midwifery Programme.

The Principal of the College, Samuel Ansu-Frimpong who disclosed these at the 13th Matriculation ceremony last Friday said following the decline in admissions for the Post NAP/NAC Midwifery programme, stakeholders have decided to replace it with the Public Health Nursing programme which is currently awaiting approval by the relevant authorities.

On student academic performance in the Licensing Examinations organized by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Mr. Ansu-Frimpong said the school has consistently scored above 85% over the years mentioning that a former midwifery student, Ms. Christiana Tawiah, had been adjudged the overall best midwifery student in Ghana and is yet to receive her award in Accra on April 25, 2023.

He disclosed that the Registered General Nursing group scored 100% with nine distinctions in the 2022 KNUST terminal examinations, while the Registered Midwifery group had 98.2%.

A section of the matriculants

Speaking to the theme of the matriculation ceremony: “Infrastructural development, key to excellent nursing and Midwifery education”, the principal announced that the College had constructed a 2-unit classroom block, while a 120- capacity ICT laboratory is about 80% complete to facilitate the Nursing and Midwifery Council examination.

According to him, construction of an 80- bed capacity hostel is underway to reduce accommodation challenges in the school

The projects, he said, are being funded through the College’s Internally Generated Fund and called on the Municipal Assembly, Stakeholders Association and benevolent organisations to come to the aid of the school to complete them as early as possible to address the infrastructure deficiency.

The deficiency is evident in inadequate lecture halls resulting in a dining hall being used as a lecture hall coupled with congestion in the existing hostels as a result of which 50% of students reside outside campus and thus compelling the College to rent seven hostels at various location in the community at a high cost of rent and transportation.

Principal Ansu-Frimpong mentioned other challenges facing the college as lack of accommodation for staff on campus affecting effective teaching and monitoring, expansion of the skills lab and library and a school bus.

He hoped the President would redeem a promise he made recently to provide the College with a new school bus.

The principal advised the students to pursue their calling with patience, commitment and selflessness and take their theoretical and practical training seriously as well as uphold high standards of discipline as students.

Mr. Ansu-Frimpong also thanked the Member of Parliament for the Area and the Municipal Chief Executive for the construction of first floor of a hostel facility which is currently accommodating 60 students and appealed for support to continue with the construction of the second floor of the project.

The principal specially thanked Nana Kwasi Bosompra I, the Omanhene of Goaso and Mrs. Joyce Oduro of Enirob Pharmaceutical company for their support and donation of teaching and learning materials and a Spinter Benz bus.

The Catholic Bishop of Goaso Diocese, the Presbyterian Church and one Mr. Mark Donkor were mentioned for providing shelter for students of the College.

Pokuase families advise estate developers to desist from scouting ‘Agric Lands’

By
AGNES ANSAH
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Mr Prince Nii Amo-Dodoo, Principal Family Elder, Nii Dodoo Clottey Family addressing the media

The custodial owners of Pokuase “Agric Lands” have called on estate developers and individuals scouting the lands for purposes of building to desist from it.

According to some seven families who claim to be the rightful owners, the land is for a family but not a stool, cautioning that those meeting chiefs with respect to the lands should take a cue. The seven families made this known in a press conference in Accra yesterday.

Mr Prince Nii Amo-Dodoo, Principal Family Elder of the Nii Dodoo Clottey Family, who spoke on behalf of the seven families, gave a brief history of why the families are claiming ownership of the lands.

He indicated that 532.749 acres of land was acquired in 1947 by the then government for pig farming.

“However, due to alleged influx of tsetse flies, it could not serve the purpose for which it was acquired. It was nevertheless turned into what has popularly been known as Agric Land and used for the experimentation of Agricultural purposes such as Seed improvements, animal research and animal husbandry by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR),” he narrated.

He continued that the land was leased for 50 years and indicated that per the laws of Ghana, after 50 years the land naturally reverts to its rightful owners and hence their claims.

He, therefore, advised private investors to stay off the lands as they take steps to have the government to reverse the land to its original owners.

Meanwhile, MrNii-Amo-Dodoo said the group bemoans the lack of interest on the government’s side in ensuring that the land is returned to the seven families.

He said the show no concern by the government is what has given the impetus to others to encroach on the lands.

He therefore called on the government to help them secure their land just as other family lands which hitherto belonged to the government but weregiven back to its rightful owners.

He also said the families are specifically calling on the President to intervene due to his family’s previous relationship with their forefathers.

Mr Nii Amo-Dodoo indicated that the current president’s father, the late Edward Akufo-Addo was the original lawyer of Nii Dodoo Kobla as well as some other family heads in the Pokuase enclave.

“We call on His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, whose father H.E Edward Akufo Addo of Kwakwaduam chambers was the original lawyer of the Nii Dodoo Kobla….who fought for us in the law courts from 1947 to 1952 to establish that these lands are not stool lands but family lands to release the lands to the allodial owners as it will just be a continuity of his father’s legacy, this is our humble plea,” the Principal Family Elder said.

Mr Nii Amo-Dodoo said the seven families are law abiding citizens and hence will not apply force in getting their lands back as others may have done.

He said the family will apply all lawful means including the organisation of press conferences, demonstrations and their voting power to get their lands back.

“…We are going to resort to all legal means at our disposal to back our land.”

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