Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Tsatsu case: Judge exercised discretion lawfully • Supreme Court declares

Tuesday, October 29, 2008 (Page 3 Lead)

THE Supreme Court has held that the trial judge who sentenced Tsatsu Tsikata to five years’ imprisonment exercised her discretion properly and lawfully when she refused to adjourn proceedings on the date Tsikata was imprisoned.
“From the record, the applicant was treated equally by the judge without any discrimination. It also follows that the trial judge performed her duty in the application before her with fairness and the requisite degree of candour. In our view, she exercised her discretion in the matter judicially and in compliance with Article 296,” the court declared.
“The Supreme Court’s supervisory jurisdiction over the superior courts is one which has far reaching potential and as such it is important that we exercise it with circumspection so as to achieve the purpose for which we were given such power in the first place. We are not to use this power to interfere unduly with the exercise of judicial discretion, nor are we to allow it to be used as an alternative to appeal,” the court pointed out.
Before his conviction on June 18, 2008, Tsikata had prayed the Accra Fast Track High Court to adjourn proceedings, since his counsel was not present to move an application to lead fresh evidence in the matter in which he had been accused of causing financial loss to the state.
However, the trial judge declined to adjourn proceedings and accordingly directed Tsikata to move his application but he refused.
The trial judge, Mrs Justice Henrietta Abban, then dismissed the application for want of prosecution and went ahead to deliver judgement which was to have been delivered in December 2006 but had been on hold awaiting the outcome of interlocutory appeals filed by Tsikata.
Tsikata then filed an application at the Supreme Court praying the court to quash the processes which led to his conviction, as well as arrest its judgement on whether or not to order the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to testify in his case.
The court, on October 16, 2008, dismissed both applications and described them as without merit and informed parties in the matter that the court would file its reasons on Friday, October 24, 2008.
In its reasons, the court said the learned trial judge did not commit any error when she struck out the application for want of prosecution.
“She had the power to do so and she exercised that power without denying the applicant any of his constitutional or legal rights,” the five-member panel, presided over by Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, pointed out.
The court, which had Mr Justice Julius Ansah, Mrs Justice Rose Owusu, Mr Justice Jones Dotse and Mr Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the other panel members, said there was no evidence of prejudice on the part of the trial judge.
According to the court, the totality of the evidence proved that Tsikata had the chance to a fair trial and pointed out that he chose to cause an application to be filed on his behalf when he was fully aware that his counsel was due to travel within a matter of a few days for a considerable period of time.
Citing authorities to buttress its point, the court said, “Having done so, he chose not to arrange for representation by another counsel or to represent himself,” adding that “in such a case it will not be reasonable to say that any rights of the applicant were in any way prejudiced or breached in any manner”.
For that matter, the court held that the trial judge did not act capriciously or arbitrarily when she proceeded with the reading of her judgement rather than continue to await the outcome of the appeal on the IFC issue at the Supreme Court.
“The decision whether or not to adjourn a court’s proceedings from one day to another is purely at the discretion of the judge presiding over that court. It was in the exercise of that discretion that the trial judge, from December 2006, kept adjourning the reading of her judgement from date to date.
“Also undisputed is the fact that, as pointed out by the Honourable Attorney-General, at no time did the Supreme Court (or any other court) make any order binding the trial judge from delivering her judgement pending the outcome of the interlocutory appeal,” the court held.
Tsikata, a former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), was found guilty on June 18, 2008 on three counts of wilfully causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state and another count of misapplying public property and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.
He was charged in 2002 with the offence for guaranteeing a loan for Valley Farms, a private cocoa producing company, on behalf of the GNPC and another count of misapplying GH¢2,000 of public property.
Valley Farms contracted the loan from Caisse Francaise de Developement in 1991 but defaulted in the payment and the GNPC, which acted as the guarantor, was compelled to pay it in 1996.
He, however, denied any wrongdoing.
Meanwhile, an appeal against his conviction is pending before the Appeals Court.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Goodies trial ajdourned to October 30

Monday, October 27, 2008 (Page 55)

THE narcotic trial involving the Managing Director of Goodies Music Productions, Isaac Abeidu Aidoo, aka Goodies, has been adjourned to October 30, 2008.
Goodies allegedly swallowed 80 pellets of cocaine and attempted to smuggle them to the United Kingdom on April 23, 2008 but he was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport (KIA).
The circuit court hearing the case adjourned it to enable the new prosecutor assigned to it to study the record of proceedings before continuing with the prosecution.
At the court’s sitting in Accra yesterday, the new prosecutor, Mr Paul Asibi Abariga, an Assistant State Attorney, informed the court that he had been assigned to the case because his senior colleague, Mrs Valerie Amartey, a Chief State Attorney, was currently on vacation.
He, therefore, prayed the court to give him a short period to study the record of proceedings.
The court, presided over by Mr Mahamadu Iddrisu, granted his request and accordingly adjourned the case to October 30, 2008.
A third prosecution witness is expected to testify at the next adjourned date.
Goodies, on July 8, 2008, pleaded not guilty to the possession of narcotics and the court has since remanded him in prison custody.
According to the prosecution, about 10.45 p.m. on April 23, this year, when Goodies arrived at the KIA to board a Ghana International Airlines flight to London, operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) suspected him of carrying drugs in his stomach.
Goodies was, therefore, escorted to the 37 Military Hospital for an X-ray, which revealed that he had some foreign materials in his stomach.
He was subsequently arrested and put under surveillance and, in the process, he expelled 80 pellets of a whitish substance suspected to be cocaine.
Goodies informed the police during interrogation that one Abdul Haid, a musician residing at East Legon, Accra, had given him the drugs to be delivered to one Willie for a fee of $3,000.

Driver's mate jailed for slashing colleague

October 27, 2008 (Page 47)

A driver’s mate who inflicted deep machete wounds on his colleague has been sentenced to five years’ imprisonment in hard labour by an Accra circuit court.
Richard Osei, alias Koliko, committed the offence at the Odawna Lorry Park, near the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, on October 13, 2008 after he had been exposed by the victim as having stolen locally fermented cheese called “Wagashie”.
The victim, Kojo Aboagye, also a driver’s mate, sustained deep machete wounds on his head and ribs.
Osei, 25, who was sentenced on his own plea of guilty by the court, presided over by Mrs Ivy Heward-Mills, wailed uncontrollably as he was escorted from the courtroom to begin his sentence.
Earlier, the prosecutor, Chief Inspector Mary Adika, had told the court that the victim called a lady who was selling a local food known as “Wagashie” to buy some.
While the seller was on her way to serve Aboagye, Aboagye saw Osei secretly removing some of the “Wagashie” from the seller’s tray.
Aboagye alerted the seller to that, infuriating Osei in the process.
Osei described Aboagye as an enemy, went for a machete and inflicted wounds on Aboagye’s head and ribs.
After the attack, Aboagye, who was saved by onlookers, lodged a complaint at the Neoplan Police Station where he was issued with a police medical form to attend hospital.
Osei was later arrested by onlookers and handed over to the police.

Man jailed for blackmail

Monday, October 27, 2008 (Page 32)

AN unemployed senior high school graduate has been jailed for seven years for demanding GH¢5,000 from the proprietor of a pharmaceutical company in Tema through threatening text messages.
Michael Clifford Kwabla Krif sent several threatening text messages to the complainant, who is pregnant, forcing her to flee from her home in Tema for safety.
The convict, who was the boyfriend of the complainant's house help, was sentenced on his own plea of guilt.
Kojo had earlier this month threatened to kill the complainant if she did not deposit the amount in his personal account, but he was later arrested at his hideout in Ashaiman while he was in possession of the phone number he used in sending the threatening text messages.
He pleaded guilty to two counts of threat of death, prompting the court, presided over by Mrs Ivy Heward-Mills, to convict him.
He was sentenced to seven years imprisonment with hard labour on each count. The sentences are to run concurrently.
The facts of the case were that the convict used to visit the complainant's house help anytime the complainant was absent and he, therefore, got firsthand information on what prevailed in the house, including the complainant's financial status, her pregnancy, her telephone number, among others.
He, therefore, decided to use the information he had gathered to extort money from the complainant through blackmail and threat of death.
Around 10:37 p.m. on October 5, 2008, while the complainant was asleep, the convict sent a text message from his MTN number 024 0783793 to the complainant's phone, stating, "I can see you are pregnant with twins but offer that thing and you will be free to born", in apparent reference to his request to her to send GH¢5,000 to his personal account.
Two days later, he sent another text message around 3:50 p.m. which read, "We can see you are afraid and for us to set you free to deliver your twins safely, go and deposit an amount of GH¢5,000 or ¢50 million into account number 0120523602913 at any branch of Opportunity Bank.”
“Be an obedient person and deposit the money from today to Friday. E-mail: smallboy @yahoo.co.uk. Do it to avoid death," the text message added.
The complainant, fearing for her life, reported the matter to the police and went into hiding.
Upon thorough investigation, the police arrested Michael at his hideout in Ashaiman on October 11, 2008.
He was caught composing more text messages meant for the complainant.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Police investigators given 14-day ultimatum • To renew expired warrants of remand prisoners or ...

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 (Page 3 Lead)

POLICE investigators across the country have been given a 14-day ultimatum to renew the expired warrants of remand prisoners or face disciplinary action.
The warrants for more than 300 remand prisoners at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison alone have expired, with some of the prisoners having been on remand for several months without any court appearance.
The ultimatum, which takes effect from today, Wednesday, October 22, 2008, was jointly given by the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
According to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey, his outfit would take steps to ensure that remand prisoners were released on bail if police investigators did not take steps to renew their warrants within the given period.
Section 169 (2) of the Criminal and Other Offences (Procedure) Act 1960, Act 30, as amended by Section 17 of the Criminal Procedure Code (Amendment) Act 2002, provides that “a court shall not adjourn a case for more than 14 days where the accused person is on remand”.
Mr Ghartey said as a result of the Remand Review Project, a component of the Justice For All Project, it had become obvious that some warrants of remand prisoners had expired.
He, therefore, directed the Director of Public Prosecutions and all regional heads of the Attorney-General’s Office to monitor the exercise.
They are expected to report back to the Attorney-General at the end of the deadline.
A report submitted by the Centre for Human Rights and Civil Liberties (CHURCIL), a partner in the Justice For All Project, stated that more than 300 remand prisoners were still being held at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison, in spite of the fact that their warrants had expired.
According to CHURCIL, documents on more than the 300 affected prisoners and those of 300 others could also not be traced, after its officials undertook a six-month check on prisoners at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison.
CHURCIL is working in collaboration with the Attorney-General’s Department and other agencies under the Justice for All Project.
The Justice for All Project was launched by Mr Ghartey on September 27, 2007.
More than 56 prisoners have been freed since the inception of the project, which is aimed at bringing justice to the doorstep of all citizens, especially the vulnerable in the society.

4 Former Heads of State, 133 others get back assets

Wednesday, October 22, 2008 (Second Lead Story)

FOUR former Heads of State, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, General A.A. Afrifa, General I.K. Acheampong and General F.W.K. Akuffo, are among a list of 137 individuals who are beneficiaries of the government’s assets deconfiscation policy.
According to a release signed by a Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Kwame Osei-Prempeh, and released yesterday, the President had, in the interest of national reconciliation, decided to release the assets of the 137 whose assets were confiscated by various military regimes.
They or their representatives were to have access to their properties, wherever they were in the country, by the end of this year, the release indicated, and asked beneficiaries or their representatives to contact Room 14 at the Attorney- General’s Department or call 021-682530 for details.
It said the President, upon the recommendations of the Confiscated Assets Committee, the Restoration of Assets Committee and the Attorney-General and in the spirit of national reconciliation, deconfiscated the assets to their original owners.
According to the release, the return of the assets would be on a “where is, as is basis”, meaning that beneficiaries were expected to take them in whichever condition they might find them.
“In cases where deconfiscation is not possible because of peculiar circumstances, compensation may be paid,” the release pointed out.
The other beneficiaries include Krobo Edusei, 13 houses in Accra, Tema and the Ashanti Region; Dr Matthew N. Tetteh, who owns a chain of 34 houses, including storey buildings at Dansoman Exhibition Site, Adenta Housing Estates, Tema and other parts of Accra; J.K. Siaw, eight houses in Accra; Dr E. Ayeh Kumi, 13 houses in Takoradi and Accra; K. N. Owusu of Kowus Motors, four properties; Col C. R. Techie-Menson, six houses in Accra; Moses Tweneboah Kodua, six houses in Accra and the Ashanti Region.
Other beneficiaries who own one or more houses include A. E. Inkumsah, General Robert Kotei, Squadron Leader George Tagoe, S.K. Kpegah, E.A. Amoah, who is the owner of Association International School, Commander J.C. Addo, Major Kwame Asante, Col E.O. Nyanteh, Alhaji Tiello Buccom, Ghazi Dakmak, Group Captain K.A. Jackson, Commander J. D. Boham, F.K. Dra Goka, among many others.
Popular deconfiscated assets include the Frafraha Prison Farms, Association International School, Caprice Hotel and Casino, Kowus Motors, the assets of the Ghana Co-operative Marketing Association, some properties at the Airport Residential Area, Cantonments, Roman Ridge, Ringway Estates, Awudome Estates, North Labone, Tema, Osamkrom Prison Farms and other parts of the country.
Under the deconfiscation process, beneficiaries will be asked to provide some basic information, such as proof of identity, letters of administration or will, in the instance where the original owners are dead.

Court restrains Zain from erecting mast

Tuesday, October 21, 2008 (Page 3 Lead)

THE High Court in Tema has restrained Zain Ghana Limited, a mobile telecommunications company, from constructing a phone mast at a house at Adjiringano, a suburb of Accra.
The order, which took effect from Friday, October 17, 2008 is valid for 10 days.
The court gave the order following an application for an order of interim injunction to restrain the company from constructing the phone mast at No.14 Manor Valley Road which was filed on behalf of some residents of Adjiringano by Mr Kojo Graham, the Executive Director of the Centre for Human Rights and Civil Liberties (CHUCIL), an NGO.
According to the residents, checks from regulatory bodies had proved that the company was putting up the mast without the requisite approval from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), among other regulatory bodies.
They further argued that phone masts and towers were internationally known and reported, through scientific research and case studies, to be sources of harmful radioactive and electromagnetic emissions against individuals and communities living near and within the environs of erected phone masts and towers.
In the substantive suit, the plaintiffs, Alex Dodoo, Leslie Dodoo, Caroline Ama Ennin, John Nii Sackey Odametey, Ellis K. Ashiagbor and George Ofori, are seeking a declaration that the erection and construction of a phone mast and tower by Zain is unlawful and illegal.
They are also praying the court to permanently restrain the company and its agents from constructing a phone mast at the said area, as well as an order restraining it from constructing a mast within the Tema metropolitan area without the requisite regulatory approvals and clearance.
They are further praying the court to award general damages and costs in their favour.
An affidavit accompanying the writ stated that some time during the first week of October 2008, the plaintiffs spotted work men excavating a deep and wide foundation trench within the precincts of House No. 14 Manor Valley Road, Adjiringano in the Greater Accra Region.
According to the affidavit, a few days after the excavation, residents observed the construction and erection of a huge phone mast and tower where the excavation had taken place.
It said the plaintiffs subsequently met an officer of the company on the premises, who confirmed that the defendant company was erecting the phone mast and tower and further claimed that the company had already received and paid for all the necessary permits and approvals.
However, according to the affidavit, on October 13, 2008 the plaintiffs followed up their search at the Tema offices of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and were informed that the defendant company had not been given permit to construct the mast.
The affidavit stated that although one WO I Agbagba had given the land to the defendant company to construct the mast, the law did not permit such agreements, especially when the land was not being used for its original purpose.
It consequently described the transaction between WO I Agbagba and the defendant company as “void and bereft of legal effect”.
The plaintiffs stated that the defendant company was erecting the phone mast tower at a furiously fast pace, in complete disregard of the objections of the plaintiffs.
They further argued that the unlawful erection of phone masts and towers by mobile telephone operators in residential and educational environs had become such a menace and blamed such practices on the lack of enforcement on the part of the authorities.

Court restrains organisers of Face of Universe Pageant

Friday, October 17, 2008 (Page 14)

THE Accra High Court yesterday restrained 1st Royal Events Limited, organisers of Exquisite Face of the Universe Beauty Pageant, from fielding the first runner-up of the 2007 pageant, Nana Yaa Adadewa, as Ghana’s representative in the upcoming international event.
It, accordingly, ordered the organisers to field the winner of the 2007 pageant, Ms Alberta Nana Adwoa Arhin, as Ghana’s representative in the pageant which will be held at the National Theatre on Saturday, October 18, 2008.
The order, which takes immediate effect, is valid for 10 days.
According to the court, irreparable damage would be occasioned if Ms Arhin was not allowed to take part in the event.
The court’s order followed an application for an ex-parte for an order of interim injunction filed on behalf of Ms Arhin by her solicitors, Awoonor Law Consultancy, pending the outcome of the substantive suit.
In the substantive suit, Ms Arhin is praying the court to order 1st Royal Events Limited to transfer the ownership of a VW Golf saloon car, with registration number GT 1318 Z, in her name.
The plaintiff is also praying the court to order 1st Royal Events Limited to pay GH¢700 plus interest with effect from January 1, 2008 till the date of final payment.
She is also praying the court to award costs in her favour.
In an affidavit in support of her application, Ms Arhin deposed that she participated in the Exquisite Face of the Universe Beauty Pageant in 2007, from which she emerged the winner.
She said as part of her price for winning the Exquisite Face of the Universe Pageant 2007, she was given a VW Golf saloon car which the defendant had to date failed to transfer into her name as the legitimate owner, despite her persistent demand for same to be effected.
According to her, 1st Royal Events Limited had failed to pay her the full amount of the price money of GH¢1,000 for winning the said pageant held in 2007.
“I caused my solicitors to write to the defendant to pay the full amount of the price money of GH¢1,000 and till date the defendant has only paid GH¢300, leaving an unpaid and outstanding balance of GH¢700 which defendant has refused and/or failed to pay, despite persistent demands for same,” she said.
“That it was when I was being engaged by some of the sponsors of the said beauty pageant that I got to know that the prices for the said pageant, as promised by the sponsors, have been honoured and given to defendant for onward transmission to plaintiff but the defendant has failed and/or refused to deliver same,” Ms Arhin contended.
According to Ms Arhin, the organisers adopted an antagonistic posture towards her when they got to know she had had credible information, through one of the sponsors of the said event, about payments made for which she had not been paid.
She further averred that to her surprise, the defendants had replaced her with the first runner-up to represent Ghana at the upcoming international event.
According to Ms Arhin, she would lose the opportunity to enhance her image and recognition as a model if she was restrained from participating in the said international event as part of her prize package.

Court declines to quash Tsatsu's conviction

Friday, October 17, 2008 (Page 3 Lead)

THE Supreme Court yesterday declined to quash the conviction of Tsatsu Tsikata by an Accra Fast Track High Court for causing financial loss to the state.
It also declined to arrest judgement on whether or not to order the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to testify in Tsikata’s case.
The court described both applications as being without merit and incompetent and, accordingly, dismissed them.
The decision means Tsikata will have to continue serving his five-year sentence, while he waits for a date to be fixed for the court to deliver its judgement on the IFC matter.
In less than two minutes, the court, presided over by Ms Justice Sophia Akuffo, dismissed the application and informed parties in the matter that the court would file its reasons on Friday, October 24, 2008.
The court, which had Mr Justice Julius Ansah, Mrs Justice Rose Owusu, Mr Justice Jones Dotse and Mr Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie as the other panel members, accordingly directed the registrar to notify parties when the reasons were filed.
Tsikata, who wore a white linen long-sleeved shirt over a pair of khaki trousers, looked calm and indifferent after the judgement had been delivered.
He was whisked away by security personnel in a waiting van which was parked behind the court premises to outwit anxious sympathisers who were waiting for him in front of the court building.
However, some of the sympathisers who had lined up by the roadside saw Tsikata in the van and waved at him with mixed feelings.
His wife, Esther; the running mate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential aspirant, Mr John Mahama; Mr Eddie Annan, a former presidential aspirant of the NDC; Captain Kojo Tsikata, a former Head of National Security; Mr Fui Tsikata, a brother of Tsikata’s, some NDC stalwarts and hundreds of sympathisers thronged the court premises to lend Tsikata moral support.
The sympathisers, who wore T-shirts with the inscription, “Free Tsatsu Now”, openly cursed to express their displeasure at the court’s decision.
Their unprintable words bordered on their dissatisfaction with the court’s decision.
Some, nevertheless, expressed the hope that justice would one day prevail for Tsikata.
Reacting to the court’s judgement, Mr Tony Lithur, a legal practitioner, said, “The desecration of justice has been elevated by the highest court of the land.”
He accused the President of influencing the case, adding that “the President’s wish has been fulfilled”.
Tsikata, a former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), was found guilty on June 18, 2008 on three counts of wilfully causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state and another count of misapplying public property and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.
He was charged in 2002 with three counts of wilfully causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state through a loan he guaranteed for Valley Farms, a private cocoa producing company, on behalf of the GNPC and another count of misapplying GH¢2,000 of public property.
Valley Farms contracted the loan from Caisse Francaise de Developement in 1991 but defaulted in the payment and the GNPC, which acted as the guarantor, was compelled to pay it in 1996.
He, however, denied any wrongdoing.
Following his conviction by the Fast Track High Court, he filed an application at the Supreme Court, praying the highest court of the land to quash the lower court’s judgement on the grounds that the trial judge had been biased.
According to Tsikata, the action of the trial judge had the potential of undermining the authority of the Supreme Court.
He said he filed the motion to enable the court to ensure that the administration of justice was not brought into disrepute by what he termed as “the desecration of justice that occurred on June 18, 2008”, the date of his incarceration.
The Supreme Court, on July 31, 2008, fixed yesterday, October 16, 2008 for the ruling, after Tsikata and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey, had argued on the matter.
Tsikata described the attempt by the Attorney-General to support the trial judge’s action as untenable, since she had said that she was adjourning her judgement until the Supreme Court determined his fate in respect of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) testifying for him.
Mr Ghartey said once the Court of Appeal had determined the matter and refused it, the lower court did not have to entertain the matter.
The Supreme Court, on June 25, 2008, suspended judgement on whether or not the IFC should be ordered to testify in the case in which Tsikata was accused of causing financial loss to the state.
That followed a request by Tsikata to the court to “arrest” its judgement and invoke its supervisory jurisdiction by quashing his conviction by the lower court.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Supreme Court rules on Tsatsu's appeal today

Thursday, October 16, 2008 (Page 3)

THE Supreme Court will give judgement today in the case in which Tsatsu Tsikata is praying it to quash the five-year sentence imposed on him for causing financial loss to the state.
Tsikata, a former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), was found guilty on June 18, 2008 on three counts of wilfully causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state and another count of misapplying public property and sentenced to five years imprisonment on each count, to run concurrently.
He was charged in 2002 with three counts of wilfully causing financial loss of GH¢230,000 to the state through a loan he guaranteed for Valley Farms, a private cocoa producing company, on behalf of the GNPC and another count of misapplying GH¢2,000 of public property.
Valley Farms contracted the loan from Caisse Francaise de Developement in 1991 but defaulted in the payment and the GNPC, which acted as the guarantor, was compelled to pay it in 1996.
He, however, denied any wrongdoing.
Following his conviction by the Fast Track High Court, he filed an application at the Supreme Court praying the highest court of the land to quash the lower court’s judgement on the grounds that the trial judge had been biased.
According to Tsikata, the action of the trial judge at the Fast Track High Court had the potential of undermining the authority of the Supreme Court.
He said he filed the motion to enable the court to ensure that the administration of justice was not brought into disrepute by what he termed as “the desecration of justice that occurred on June 18, 2008”, the date of his incarceration.
The Supreme Court, on July 31, 2008, fixed today, October 16, 2008 for the ruling, after Tsikata and the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Joe Ghartey, had argued on the matter.
Tsikata described the attempt by the Attorney-General to support the trial judge’s action as untenable, since she had said that she was adjourning her judgement until the Supreme Court determined his fate in respect of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) testifying for him.
Mr Ghartey said once the Court of Appeal had determined the matter and refused it, the lower court did not have to entertain the matter.
At its sitting on July 16, 2008, Tsikata told the packed court that he objected to the empanelling of Mr Justice S.A. Brobbey to hear the matter because the judge had conducted investigations into allegations of bias against the trial judge, Mrs Justice Henrietta Abban, who sentenced him.
On July 22, 2008, Tsikata again objected to the empanelling of Mr Justice Annin Yeboah, who replaced Mr Justice Brobbey, on the grounds that the judge was part of the panel at the Court of Appeal which heard his appeal regarding the immunity of the IFC to testify for him.
The Accra Fast Track High Court, on July 15, 2008, stayed proceedings in a mini trial requested by Tsikata to determine allegations of bias against Mrs Justice Abban.
That followed a motion filed by Mr Ghartey on the grounds that the reliefs being sought by Tsikata were the same as another application before the Supreme Court.
Tsikata, however, thought otherwise and insisted that his application before the superior court was different.
The Supreme Court, on June 25, 2008, suspended judgement on whether or not the IFC should be ordered to testify in the case in which Tsikata was accused of causing financial loss to the state.
That followed a request by Tsikata to the court to “arrest” its judgement and invoke its supervisory jurisdiction by quashing his conviction by the lower court.

KUTU, OTHERS TO GET ASSETS BACK - Before end of December this year

Thursday, October 16, 2008 (Lead Story)

THE assets of some prominent Ghanaians which were confiscated by various military regimes are to be returned to their owners before the end of this year.
Highly placed sources told the Daily Graphic yesterday that the Office of the President was finalising the list of assets to be handed over to the affected families, including those of a former Head of State, the late General I. K. Acheampong.
Others whose property are to be returned include General Robert Kotei, Squadron Leader George Tagoe, S.K. Kpegah, E.A. Amoah, the owner of Association International School, Commander J.C. Addo and Major Kwame Asante.
The other prominent personalities are the J.K. Siaw and Kowus Motors, among others.
More than 100 of those assets are expected to be released as a result of recommendations from the Confiscated Assets Committee of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC).
As a result of those recommendations, 1,551 individuals have already received GH¢952,297.52, being compensation for atrocities and human rights abuses they suffered under military regimes.
More people are expected to benefit from the compensation package which began two years ago.
According to the source, the return of the assets would be on a “where is as is basis”, meaning “you will take it in whichever condition you find it”.
However, the source indicated that compensation might be paid to those whose property had been sold and totally transformed.
It further disclosed that the full list of beneficiaries would be published in the dailies next week, pointing out that the Attorney-General would implement the deconfiscation process of beneficiaries.
Under the deconfiscation process, beneficiaries will be asked to provide some basic information, such as proof of identity, letters of administration or will, in the instance where the original owners are dead.
In December 2001, the Parliament of Ghana passed the National Reconciliation Commission Act, 2002, (Act 611) which came into force on January 11, 2002 when it was gazetted.
The goal of the commission, as expressed in the Long Title to Act 611, was to seek and promote national reconciliation among the people of this country by recommending appropriate redress for persons who had suffered any injury, hurt, damage, grievance or who had in any other manner been adversely affected by violations and abuses of their human rights arising from activities or inactivities of public institutions and persons holding public office.
The commission comprised Mr Justice Kweku Etrew Amua-Sekyi, a retired Supreme Court judge (now deceased), Chairman; the Most Reverend Charles Gabriel Palmer-Buckle, then Catholic Bishop of Koforidua; Maulvi Abdul Wahab Bin Adam, the Ameer (Head) and Missionary in Charge of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission; Professor Florence Abena Dolphyne, a former Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana; Lt Gen Emmanuel Alexander Erskine, the First Force Commander of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).
The others were Dr (Mrs.) Sylvia Awo Mansah Boye, a former Registrar of the West African Examinations Council; Mr Christian Appiah Agyei, a former Secretary-General of the Trades Union Congress (Ghana); Uborr Dalafu Labal II, the Paramount Chief of the Sanguli Traditional Area, Northern Region, and Professor Henrietta Joy Abena Nyarko Mensa-Bonsu, Associate Professor, Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, with Dr Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah, the then Director of Public Education and Anti-Corruption at the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, as the Executive Secretary.

Monday, October 13, 2008

FREDDIE BLAY FLOORS CPP - It's victory for rule of law, he says

October 10, 2008 (Lead Story)

THE Accra Fast Track High Court yesterday affirmed Mr Freddie Blay as the duly elected parliamentary aspirant of the Convention People’s Party (CPP) for the Ellembele Constituency.
It, accordingly, ordered the CPP, its flag bearer, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, and five other executives to uphold Mr Blay as the parliamentary aspirant and slapped them with total costs of GH3,500 in favour of Mr Blay. Each of them was ordered to pay GH¢500.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Edward A. Asante, further barred the CPP, Dr Nduom, as well as the CPP Chairman, Mr Ladi Nylander; the Vice-Chairman and now running mate to the flag bearer, Dr Abu Sakara; the General Secretary, Mr Ivor Greenstreet; the Treasurer, Mr Mike Eghan, and Mr Kosi Dedey, the Spokesperson, from organising a fresh primary in the Ellembele Constituency.
Quashing the decision of the Central Committee of the CPP which nullified the re-election of Mr Blay as the parliamentary aspirant on the grounds that the committee acted in excess of its powers, the court held that “Mr Blay’s election is lawful, proper and valid”.
Mr Blay filed the suit after Mr Greenstreet had issued a statement on August 28, 2008 to the effect that the party’s central committee had declared Mr Blay’s election null and void.
Giving its judgement on the matter, the court additionally held that it was unwarranted for the central committee to declare Mr Blay’s election null and void because the CPP’s constitution did not give the committee that power.
According to the court, Article 48(f) of the CPP constitution enjoined the central committee to refer the objection of Mr Blay’s candidature to the constituency executives for further action.
Based on that premise, and the fact that the central committee failed to adhere to the party’s constitution, the court declared the press release which nullified Mr Blay’s election as null and void.
It said the central committee acted ultra vires and accordingly quashed the entire proceedings of the committee which culminated in the press release nullifying Mr Blay’s election.
The court read its judgement in the matter after a leading member of the CPP, Mr Bright Akwetey, had informed it that he could not broker an out-of-court settlement between the parties.
He said, “I regret to announce that I did not succeed in the efforts I embarked upon” and the court thanked him for taking the initiative.
Mr Akwetey had indicated at the court’s previous sittings that efforts were underway to settle the matter out of court.
Counsel for the CPP indicated that the respondents would file an appeal against the court’s ruling.
Speaking to journalists afterwards, Mr Blay said the court’s ruling was a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
“We have come a long way. We must subscribe to the rule of law and we must have democracy within our party,” he pointed out.
He said it was unfortunate that the matter had to travel to the law courts and stated that as a member of the CPP, he did not believe the central committee constituted the party.
Mr Blay said the litigation had derailed the progress of his campaign, but indicated that he was going to embark on a vigorous crusade to make up for lost time.
“I am at a disadvantage but I will make up to ensure there is victory for us,” he said, in apparent reference to his inability to campaign like his rivals from other political parties.
Mr Blay, Mr Francis Quayson, Mr Kwasi Kutea, Mr Kwame Appreh, Mr Samuel Akainyah and Mr Kwasi Andoh, all members of the party, filed the suit seeking an order of certiorari to quash the decision of the central committee which nullified his election on the grounds that the decision was without jurisdiction, was against the CPP’s constitution and, therefore, unlawful.
The applicants also sought an order prohibiting the respondents or any agent, organ or officer of the respondents from organising any primary for the election of a CPP parliamentary candidate for Ellembele, as well as an interim order directed at the respondents and their agents from engaging in media attacks on Mr Blay or make any disparaging statement in the public against the applicants pending the final determination of the application.
However, the respondents, in their affidavit in opposition, said the correct position of the party was contained in a press release which expressed the consequence of the central committee’s decision to object to the election of Mr Blay as the party’s parliamentary aspirant for the 2008 election.
According to the affidavit, what it meant was that if Mr Blay failed to regularise his position with the central committee, then there would be the need for the Ellembele Constituency to hold fresh elections in order to elect another candidate, thereby rendering the initial primary null and void.
It said all the written invitations sent to Mr Blay only invited him to attend a meeting concerning his presence at a New Patriotic Party (NPP) rally at Ainyinase on April 30, 2008.
“The invitation never stated that any charge had been preferred against Mr Blay, neither did the CPP say that Mr Blay had breached any provisions of the party’s constitution,” the affidavit stated.
It said in a letter purporting to request for a statement of his charge, Mr Blay had exhibited gross disrespect to and contempt for the CPP, a political party on whose ticket he was asking for endorsement to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the 2008 election.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Court decides Blay's fate Thursday

October 7, 2008 (Page 3 Lead)

THE Accra Fast Track High Court will, on Thursday, October 9, 2008, decide whether or not to sanction the re-election of the Convention People’s Party’s (CPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Ellembele, Mr Freddie Blay.
The aggrieved MP, who is also the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, sued the CPP and six of its leading members, including the flag bearer, Dr Paa Kwesi Nduom, seeking a declaration that the primary held to elect him as the party’s parliamentary aspirant was proper, valid and in compliance with the party’s constitution.
The trial judge, Mr Justice Edward A. Asante, fixed the date after counsel for the parties had argued their cases at the court’s sitting in Accra yesterday.
He, however, expressed the hope that the parties would be able to resolve their differences before the adjourned date.
Mr Justice Asante’s comments were based on an earlier prayer by a leading member of the party, Mr Bright Akwetey, that the parties wanted to resolve the matter out of court.
“If by Thursday you are able to settle, all the better,” the judge stated, adding that it was not good for political parties to engage in in-fighting.
Mr Akwetey had, on September 18, 2008, pleaded with the court to give the party some time to resolve its differences, but from yesterday’s proceedings it was apparent that the issues had not been resolved.
The court then enquired from Mr Akwetey why the party had not been able to resolve the matter out of court, to which he said efforts were being made to resolve the matter and expressed the hope that the matter would be resolved before Thursday.
Mr Akwetey said the dispute was not healthy for the party and for that matter efforts were being made to settle it.
Mr Blay and five others, namely, Mr Francis Quayson, Mr Kwasi Kutea, Mr Kwame Appreh, Mr Samuel Akainyah and Mr Kwasi Andoh, are also seeking an order of certiorari to quash the decision of the Central Committee which nullified Mr Blay’s election on the grounds that the decision was without jurisdiction, against the CPP’s constitution and, therefore, unlawful.
Also joined in the suit alongside Dr Nduom are the CPP Chairman, Mr Ladi Nylander; the Vice-Chairman, Dr Abu Sakara; the General Secretary, Mr Ivor Greenstreet; the Treasurer, Mr Mike Eghan, and Mr Kosi Dedey, the Spokesperson.
Counsel for the defendants, Mr Yao Yegbey, prayed the court to dismiss the application on the grounds that the party did not nullify Mr Blay’s re-election.
He said what happened was that an objection was raised to Mr Blay’s candidature and explained that the matter could have been resolved.
“If the applicants had taken time to find out what happened, they would have realised that the election had not been nullified,” Mr Yegbey told the court.
According to counsel, Mr Blay did not exhaust the processes set out in the party’s constitution for aggrieved party members.
He said it was a contractual agreement for Mr Blay to obey the rules and regulations of the party, adding that the claim by Mr Blay that the party had violated his fundamental human rights was a fallacy.
Responding, counsel for the applicants, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, said the arguments by counsel for the defendants were misleading and unmeritorious, especially when it was clear that the Central Committee of the party had acted in excess of its jurisdiction.
Counsel argued that the committee had the power to either approve or object, but not to nullify the election of a candidate.
He said Mr Blay’s argument bordered on an infringement of his fundamental human rights, as enshrined in Article 33 of the 1992 Constitution, adding that the court had the jurisdiction to look into matters that bordered on the fundamental human rights of persons.
Mr Dame prayed the court to declare that the primary held on August 23, 2008 to elect Mr Blay as the CPP’s parliamentary candidate was proper, valid and in compliance with the party’s constitution.
He also prayed the court to declare that Mr Blay was the properly elected CPP parliamentary candidate for the Ellembele Constituency, as well as grant an order of mandamus compelling Mr Dedey and the Central Committee of the party to hold Mr Blay as the duly elected CPP parliamentary candidate for Ellembele.
The applicants are also seeking an order prohibiting the respondents or any agent, organ or officer of the respondents from organising any primary for the election of a CPP parliamentary candidate for Ellembele, as well as an interim order directed at the respondents and their agents from engaging in media attacks on Mr Blay or make any disparaging statement in the public against the applicants pending the final determination of the application.
The defendants, in their affidavit in opposition, said the correct position of the party was contained in a press release which expressed the consequence of the Central Committee’s decision to object to the election of Mr Blay as the party’s parliamentary aspirant for the 2008 election.
According to the affidavit, what that meant was that if Mr Blay failed to regularise his position with the Central Committee, then there would be the need for the Ellembele Constituency to hold fresh elections in order to elect another candidate, thereby rendering the initial primary null and void.
It said all the written invitations sent to Mr Blay only invited him to attend a meeting concerning his presence at a New Patriotic Party (NPP) rally at Ainyinase on April 30, 2008.
“The invitation never stated that any charge had been preferred against Mr Blay, neither did the CPP say that Mr Blay had breached any provisions of the party’s constitution,” the affidavit stated.
It said in a letter purporting to request for a statement of his charge, Mr Blay exhibited gross disrespect to and contempt for the CPP, a political party on whose ticket he was asking for endorsement to stand as a parliamentary candidate for the 2008 election.

Ghana's Governance ranking improves

October 7, 2008 (Page 31)

GHANA is ranked seventh in the latest Ibrahim Index of African Governance.
The country, which ranked eighth in the last index, improved its overall score to 70.1 per cent between 2005 and 2006 among 48 sub-Saharan African countries. It placed second among 16 West African countries.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation, a non-governmental organisation committed to helping to improve the quality of governance in Africa, arrived at the results based on data compiled from the World Bank, the United Nations, Transparency International and other credible and reputable international organisations.
According to a report made available to the Daily Graphic, for the second year running Mauritius topped the Ibrahim Index, scoring 85.1 per cent this year.
The top five countries whose positions remained unchanged over the last index included The Seychelles, Cape Verde, Botswana and South Africa.
According to the report, the Ibrahim Index looked at the areas of Safety and Security; the Rule of Law, Transparency and Corruption; Participation and Human Rights; Sustainable Economic Opportunity, and Human Development.
"The most notable improvement was in the Rule of Law, Transparency and Corruption, where Ghana’s score rose by 2.2 points," the report said.
The country scored 86.1 per cent under the Safety and Security category in 2008, as against the 86 per cent it scored under the same category in 2007.
According to the report, Ghana scored 72.7 per cent under Rule of Law, Transparency and Corruption in 2008, as against the 70.5 per cent it scored in 2007.
Under Participation and Human Rights, it scored 80.2 per cent, thus scoring an additional 0.4 points over the past year’s.
It said the country scored 47.3 per cent under Sustainable Economic Opportunity, against the 46.6 per cent it gained in 2007, while it scored 64.3 per cent under Human Development, as against the 64.1 per cent it scored last year.
It further stated that newly published data showed that two-thirds of sub-Saharan African countries had improved their performance, especially in the areas of good governance, with notable progress in participation and human rights.
It explained that the 16 members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) demonstrated strong performance in the Ibrahim Index, with Cape Verde, Ghana and Senegal ranking within the top 10 of the overall Ibrahim Index.
"With respect to last year, 10 members of ECOWAS improved their scores, four saw declining scores and a further two saw no change. Within ECOWAS, Ghana ranked second out of 16 member countries, outperformed only by Cape Verde,” it said.
The Ibrahim Index indicates that two-thirds of sub-Saharan African countries improved on their governance performance during the last year. Liberia, the fastest riser, ranks 38th, with a change in score of 10.4 points to give a score of 48.7.
Participation and Human Rights was the category with the largest improvement, with 29 countries demonstrating progress. Many of these have demonstrated improved participation in elections.
The full board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation convened in Addis Ababa, the home of the African Union, to make the announcement yesterday morning.
Mo Ibrahim, the Founder and Chairman of the foundation, said, “Obscured by many of the headlines of the past few months, the real story coming out of Africa is that governance performance across a large majority of African countries is improving.”
“According to this comprehensive analysis, progress is being made across the continent against a range of key governance indicators. I hope that these results will be used as a tool by Africa’s citizens to hold their governments to account, and stimulate debate about the performance of those who govern in their name,” he continued.
Ms Mary Robinson, a member of the Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, who has previously served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and President of Ireland, said, “It is particularly fitting that during the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are seeing the most notable improvement in governance take place within the category of participation and human rights. More sub-Saharan African countries than ever are holding democratic elections, and I am hopeful that this will help form the platform for continued progress across the
continent.”
The Ibrahim Index is a comprehensive ranking of sub-Saharan African nations according to governance performance, which is assessed against 57 criteria. These criteria are divided into five overarching categories which, together, make up the core obligations which governments have to their citizens.
The index was created in recognition of the need for a comprehensive and quantifiable method of measuring governance performance in sub-Saharan Africa and it has been designed as a tool for civil society and citizens to hold governments to account, stimulate debate on governance and provide a diagnostic framework to assess governance in sub-Saharan Africa.
The index is produced by Professor Robert Rotberg, Dr Rachel Gisselquist and his team at the Programme on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution at the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, under an agreement with and funding from the Foundation Board.
Professor Rotberg is supported by an advisory council of African academics and corporate leaders.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was launched in October 2006 and is committed to supporting great African leadership.
It was founded by Mo Ibrahim, one of Africa’s most successful business entrepreneurs, and has the support of a number of world leaders, including Kofi Annan, Nelson Mandela and Amartya Sen.
The foundation also confers the Ibrahim Prize for Achievement in African Leadership, the largest annually awarded prize in the world.
The Prize Committee, chaired by Mr Annan, awards US$5 million to a former African Executive Head of State or Government who has demonstrated excellence in leadership during his or her tenure in office.
The former President of Mozambique, Joaquim Chissano, in October 2007 became the inaugural Ibrahim Laureate.
The report added that the next Ibrahim Laureate will be announced on October 20, 2008.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Govt gives back land to Nungua stool

October 3, 2008 (Page 23)

THE government has handed over 1,016 acres to the Nungua Stool as part of its policy to return part of excess lands acquired by the State to its original owners.
The land is situated at Borteyman in an area popularly known as Nungua Farms in Accra.
To this end, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the government and the Nungua Stool at the offices of the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines.
The Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Esther Obeng-Dapaah, signed on behalf of the government while the Nungua Mantse, Odehekpakpa Odaifio Welentsi III, initialled on behalf of the stool.
Under the agreement, the remaining 1,524 acres, which constitutes 60 per cent, would remain state property, maintaining the State with the right to apply the said parcel of land to any relevant public purpose.
It was also agreed that the development of returned lands shall be in accordance with an approved planning scheme prepared for the land.
According to the MoU, until the development scheme had been prepared and duly approved for the area, Nungua Stool Land representatives could not develop the land.
"That for the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a breach by the second party (Nungua Stool Land) of this obligation the State shall be entitled to re-enter and forfeit the grant of land hereby made," the MoU explained.
The MoU further stated that the Nungua Stool had irrevocably undertaken, agreed and accepted to waive any present or future claims and/or demands in respect of the said parcel of land.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah stated that although the government had acquired the land and paid compensation for its acquisition, it decided to give back 40 per cent of the land to its original owners to promote the optimal use of lands.
She said the move was also aimed at engendering trust and co-operation between the State and land-owning groups.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah expressed the hope that the land would be put to optimum use.
For his part, Odehekpakpa Welentsi described the agreement as unique, because although the government had already paid compensation for the land it still went ahead to allocate the 40 per cent for free.
He said he was happy the government had respected their views and handed over that portion of land for development purposes.

Kosmos Energy to bring in 4 oil rigs

October 3, 2008 (Back Page)

KOSMOS Energy and its partners are expected to bring in four oil rigs to facilitate early production of oil, which was discovered in commercial quantities at the Cape Three Points in the Western Region.
One of the rigs, called Blackford Dolphin, is expected to arrive in the country in two weeks to begin the drilling of oil wells.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of Kosmos Energy, Mr Jim Musselman, the remaining three rigs were expected in the country before the end of the first quarter of 2009.
The other rigs, namely Eirik Raude, Aban Abraham and Atwood Hunter, are expected in November 2008 and the first and the last quarter of 2009 respectively.
He said the rigs were expected to drill a total of 17 wells at the Jubilee Field, adding that it would cost $100 million to drill and complete each well.
Mr Musselman said Kosmos Energy and its partners would spend $3 billion between now and the first quarter of 2010, adding that a total of $5 billion would be spent on the project.
Detailing the company's plan of development, Mr Musselman said the drilling of the 17 wells was part of the plan of development and that nine wells would be produced out of the 17 in the first phase.
He said five water injection wells, as well as three gas injection wells, would be drilled in order to maximise the ultimate recovery of oil from the rocks, which were embedded 4,000 feet deep in the ocean.
Mr Musselman, who has since left for the United States of America (USA), where he is based, stated that a Floating, Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessel would also be installed for offloading, production and storage of oil.
He disclosed that more than two trillion cubic feet of gas would also be produced.
Kosmos's oil discovery in June 2007 is the largest discovery in the world in the past 12 months and the largest in West Africa in the last 10 years.
Tests have proved that oil discovered at the West Cape Three Points is among the finest in the world.

Abrantie pays tribute to Baah-Wiredu

October 2-8, 2008 (Graphic Shhowbiz - Page 3)


THE death of the Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu has not only sent shock waves through the corridors of power in Ghana and among ordinary Ghanaians but also in showbiz circles.
One of the hardest hit is music legend, Amakye Dede, who described the death of Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, as a "great loss to Ghana".
"Honourable Baah-Wiredu was humble, dedicated to his duties, down to earth and approachable. I have never met such a selfless personality in my life," the music legend stated with wet eyes.
In an interview with the Graphic Showbiz, the music legend said "the family, the people of Asante Akim North, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and all Ghanaians have lost a hero. I am praying to God to give us a replacement."
"We have lost a gem. People should help us mourn our departed genius”. According to the music legend, he had known Mr Baah-Wiredu since childhood and recounted how the late Minister had been very instrumental in his musical career right from the scratch.
"He encouraged me to move on when the terrain was rough. He is one person who liked my music and anytime I was playing at a function, I gave off my best especially when he was present," Amakye Dede recounted.
He explained that Mr Baah-Wiredu appreciated his music and called him to congratulate him anytime he released a new album adding that the late Minister called him once a while to find out how he was doing even after the latter had became a powerful political figure in the country.He said Mr Baah-Wiredu was a simple person who interacted freely with his acquaintances and preferred not to be treated as a Minister.
Full of acclamation for the late Minister, Amakye Dede, said words could not describe how sad and shocked he was on the announcement of the death of Mr Baah-Wiredu.
"I am sad and at a loss for words. Why should death deal such a big blow to us? This was a man who was so selfless and always prepared to assist people who came his way irrespective of their political affiliation," Amakye Dede said.
Amakye Dede recounted that Mr Baah-Wiredu formed the Agogo Youth Association and even built the Agogo Community Centre.
According to him Mr Baah-Wiredu bought a silver cup and organised a football gala for the youth in Asante Akim among other laudable laurels he had achieved for the Asante Akim North constituency.
Mr Baah-Wiredu died in South Africa on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 where he had gone to receive medical attention.
He left behind a wife and six children.

Former security officer jailed three years

September 27, 2008 (Mirror - Page 27)

AFTER two years of trial, the Accra Circuit Court has sentenced a former security officer of Yasarko Printing Press Limited, a printing firm in Accra to three years imprisonment for stealing GH¢33,850 belonging to his employer.
Hanson Lawrence Agyare-Sefah pleaded guilty at a time when he had opened his defence, gave his evidence-in-chief and was expected to answer questions under cross examination from Deputy Superintendent of Police, Mr Eric Amoako.
He was sentenced on his own plea.
The court found him guilty on 34 counts of conspiracy and stealing and sentenced him to three years imprisonment on each count. His sentence is to run concurrently.
Hanson had admitted in his caution statement that he forged the signature of the company's chief executive to steal money from the company's accounts.
According to him he sneaked into the office of the Director of the company, Mr Yaw Sarkodie, to steal an unspecified number of leaflets from the Standard Chartered Bank cheque books and further admitted using part of the stolen money to purchase two Nissan Urvan buses.
However, counsel for two other accused persons namely Joseph Oppong and Christian Aban, both former drivers of the company have made submissions of no case after the prosecution closed its case.
The court has fixed Wednesday, September 24, 2008 for ruling on the submission of no case.
Oppong and Aban had each pleaded not guilty to one count each of abetment of crime and have since been granted bail.
The facts of the case are that on August 17, 2006 the accountant of Yasarko Press Limited detected the theft of 29 cheque leaflets from the company’s cheque books which were normally kept at the Managing Director’s office.
According to the prosecution, the accountant informed the Managing Director, who then followed up to the Dansoman branch of the Standard Chartered Bank where 13 photocopies of stolen cheques were obtained.
Following the arrest of the accused persons, the police retrieved four additional photocopies of stolen cheques from the bank.
It was later found out that a total of ¢338.5 million had been withdrawn from the company’s accounts.
Security cameras at the Dansoman Branch of the Standard Chartered Bank revealed Oppong and Aban cashing money with the stolen cheques on June 23, 2006 and June 28, 2006 respectively at the instance of Hanson.
Forensic examinations revealed that Hanson prepared and signed all the cheques.
Investigations also revealed that Hanson cashed majority of the cheques with Oppong and Aban cashing two of the stolen cheques.
Two mini-buses which Hanson allegedly used the stolen money to purchase have been impounded by the police.
An amount of GH ¢3,100 was also retrieved from Hanson’s bank accounts.