Local News Archives - Page 23 of 85 -

Ibrahim Mahama threatens to sue Manasseh, demands apology for reputational damage in new book

The Chief Executive Officer of Engineers & Planners Limited, Mr Ibrahim Mahama, has demanded an immediate retraction and unqualified apology from investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. This comes after Mr Awuni in his latest book, “The President Ghana Never Got,” stated that the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB), formerly State-owned Merchant Bank, generated uproar in 2013 when it was sold to a private equity firm, Fortiz. According to the author, FirstRand Bank of South Africa was said to be willing to pay GH₵176million for 75% of Merchant Bank’s shares, while Fortiz offered only GH₵90million for 90% of the shares in the state-owned bank. “The controversy deepened when it emerged that a brother of President John Mahama, Ibrahim Mahama, was one of the big debtors of the then Merchant Bank, which resulted in the bank’s struggles,” portions of the book read. However, Mr Mahama has refuted this claim in the book. In a letter from his solicitor, Mr Mahama demanded an immediate retraction of the publication and an unqualified apology from Mr Awuni. The solicitors asserted that the journalist’s publication, which linked Mr Mahama to the financial struggles of the bank, has negatively impacted Mr Mahama’s reputation as an honest businessman. “Your publication has resulted in our client’s business associates, family and friends inquiring from him the veracity of your claims as the publication has lowered his reputation as an honest businessman in the eyes of well-meaning Ghanaians. “We therefore have the instructions of our client to demand from you an immediate retraction of the publication under reference and an unqualified apology to our client,” part of the letter read. The correspondence warned that failure to comply with these demands within seven days will result in legal action against Mr Awuni. “Needless to add that should you fail, refuse or neglect to oblige the intimations contained in this letter within 7 days of your receipt of same, we shall proceed to seek legal redress against you without further notice to you. Please be advised accordingly.” When Myjoyonline.com contacted Manasseh for a response, the investigative journalist indicated that the details narrated in the letter to him were not accurate. “Mr. Ibrahim Mahama’s lawyers have written to me concerning a paragraph of the book in the chapter on the economy. That paragraph says Ibrahim Mahama was indebted to Merchant Bank when it was sold in 2013. His lawyers say it was a company owned by Ibrahim Mahama, Engineers and Planners, which owed the bank, not Ibrahim Mahama. I have forwarded their demands to my lawyers and the matter will be addressed soon,” he added. myjoyonline.com

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2 students arrested for lynching spiritualist who accused one of them of stealing mobile phone

Two students have been arrested by the police for mobilising their colleagues to lynch a spiritualist who had accused one of them of stealing a mobile phone. The incident happened at Twifo Praso in the Central Region. The two students are from the Twifo Praso Senior High School. They are in police custody for allegedly mobilizing their gang to lynch the spiritualist, who has been identified as Abdul Latif. Abdul Latif, working as a spiritualist is said to have revealed and accused one of them of stealing a mobile phone, which belonged to a junior student. The junior student’s phone had gone missing and the students reportedly sought the intervention of the spiritualist to help them identify who stole the phone. When the spiritualist, Abdul Latif accused one of the students as being the one behind the stolen phone, he reportedly went and mobilised his gang numbering about 10 who in turn ambushed and attacked Abdul Latif and subjected him to severe beatings until he died. The incident happened on Wednesday [August 21, 2024] at about 8pm. They then dragged his body into a bush and covered it with weeds. The police recovered the body and deposited it at the Twifo Praso Government Hospital Mortuary for autopsy. Graphic Online’s Central Regional correspondent, Shirley Asiedu Addo reports that the incident sparked outrage among some youth in Twifo Praso, who planned to storm the school campus for revenge. But a timely intervention by the police prevented violence. It took reinforcement teams from the Central North Regional Police Command to maintain order and ensure peace in the area. The father of the deceased, Yaw Nkrumah said after the phone incident, his son had been attacked twice by some students of the school but he was able to face the students and left unharmed on both occasions. He said the one that led to his death was the third time he had come under attack from the students. myjoyonline/graphic

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Police officer in Koans Estate case charged with murder

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The Adabraka District Court has remanded the 25-year-old police officer who allegedly shot a man at Koans Estate in Kuntunse Satellite over an over ride-hailing fare disagreement into police custody. Constable Smith Gyekyi has been slapped with the provisional charge of murder. The prosecutor, Chief Inspector (C/Insp.) Achana Apewah, prayed the court presided over by Ama Adomako Kwakye to remand the accused into Police custody to enable the police conduct further investigations into the matter. Constable Gyekyi was subsequently remanded into police custody. He is to re-appear on September 9, this year. The facts before the court are that Constable Gyeki was off-duty but engaging in ride-hailing operations. On August 18, 2024, at about 4:00 a.m, the prosecutor said the police control room received information that a male adult had been shot dead at the frontage of Koans Estate at Satellite. C/Insp. Apewah told the court that DSP Adamu Muniru, the Adjen Kotoku Crime Officer; and ASP Agnes Aboagye, the Night Monitoring Officer, upon receiving the information, visited the scene with Investigator D/PW Insp. Leticia Asiedu. He added that the team found a male adult, Stanley Ahadzi, aged 25, lying dead in a supine position with blood all over his body. The Prosecutor disclosed that spot investigations revealed that Constable Gyekyi was driving a Matiz private car (with registration) No. GW 6459-21, operating as a commercial vehicle. He further told the Court that at about 3:00 a.m that day, the accused picked up one Esther Owusua, a witness in the case, from Ablekuma Joma to the Koans Estate area at Kuntunse Satellite. Owusua, according to the prosecution, lost direction to her destination and called Stanley Ahadzi (now deceased) on the phone to meet them at Koans Estate gate. “The deceased arrived, but there was disagreement with the fare charged. In the course of the argument, the accused got annoyed and pulled his sidearm. He gave a warning shot and later shot the deceased to death,” the prosecutor said. He added that the accused person reported himself at the Amasaman Divisional Police Station where he was arrested and detained. During investigation, he said the accused admitted the offence and was charged with the offence and put before the honourable court. daily graphic

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Assemblyman Grabbed For Killing 2 Cocoa Thieves

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A chilling incident has unfolded in Denkyira Kyekyewere in the Upper Denkyira East Municipality of the Central Region, where Assemblyman Kwabena Boateng allegedly shot and killed two teenagers, Razak, 16, and Agyaku, 20, suspected of stealing cocoa from his shed. The tragic events of August 21, 2024 have sent shockwaves through the community, raising questions about vigilantism and the rule of law. According to reports, the teenagers had been stealing cocoa bags from the Assemblyman’s shed for an extended period, despite complaints and warnings. On the fateful night, Boateng allegedly took matters into his own hands, firing at the teenagers and killing them on the spot. The incident has sparked widespread condemnation, with family members of the deceased expressing grief and outrage. In a heart-wrenching interview, the mother of one of the suspects revealed her son’s struggles with theft and the influence of his accomplice, Agyaku. She had sought the help of a fetish priest to address her son’s behavior, unaware of the tragic events that would unfold. Daniel Bampoe-DGN

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One more suspect granted bail in forged will case

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One of the suspects arrested in connection with the case in which a 52-year-old legal practitioner is standing trial for allegedly forging a will has been charged at the Achimota Circuit Court. Saeed Salia, who appeared before the court last Thursday, has been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢ 120,000 with three sureties one of whom must be a civil servant earning not less than GH¢ 1,500. The lawyer, Joseph Kwow Addo Sam, and the Chief of Banda in Accra, Alhaji Seidu Adams; Baba Abdul Salia, Abubakar Salia, and Saeed have been charged with conspiracy, forgery of official documents, altering of official documents and perjury. Sam is on bail in the sum of GH¢200,000 with three sureties, one to be a public servant earning not less than GH¢3,000. Alhaji Baba, on the other hand, is on bail in the sum of GH¢150,000 with three sureties, one of whom should be a public servant earning not less than GH¢2000. Abdul Salia and Abubakar Salia are currently on the run. The case has been adjourned to September 19 this year at the court presided over by Akosua Anokyewaa Adjepong. Brief facts Narrating the facts of the case, the prosecution, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Isaac Babayi, said the complainant, Addris Salia, is a businessman. He added that Isaac Babayi said after the death of Alhaji Salia Abdullai on June 23, 2021, a will surfaced purported to be the last ‘will’ of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai. The prosecutor said the same had been deposited at the registry of the High Court, Probate Division since May, this year. ASP Babayi said the said will was witnessed by the late Tony Kenyin Foli and Alhaji Baba. The prosecutor said the complainant became suspicious when he obtained a copy of the said will and conducted his private checks and found out that his late father, Alhaji Salia Abdullai, and the late Tony Kenyin Foli’s signatures on the said will had been forged and he petitioned the Director-General of the CID for investigation. Copy The prosecutor said a certified true copy of the said will was obtained from the Registrar, High Court (Probate Division), adding that the Police also obtained from the Regional Police Headquarters/CID a copy of a statement of Tony Kenyin Foli, now deceased, previously submitted, whose name appeared on the said will as a witness. “Investigation was extended to the Ecobank, GCB Bank and the Registrar General’s Department where signature samples of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai were obtained. “Both undisputed signature samples of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai and the late Tony Kenyin Foli, together with the disputed signature samples on the purported will were sent to the Comptroller General, Ghana Immigration Service Forensic Department and Spotlight Security Solution for forensic examination. “Investigations revealed that the disputed signatures on the purported will and probate form (Judicial form 35) were not authored by the named persons. “It was established that Al conspired with A2, A3, A4 and A5 to prepare the forged will of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai and A2 signed as a witness for it to be believed that it was a true last will of the late Alhaji Salia Abdullai,” he said. Upon preparation of the said will, the prosecutor said they presented the same at the High Court Registry, together with a Probate form. ASP Babayi said on November 8, 2021, three of the accused persons applied to the High Court 2, Accra, for a grant of Probate based on the forged will, adding that the complainant was suspicious of the will and petitioned the Police, leading to their arrest. myjoyonline

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Miner fined for assaulting police officer, another

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The Circuit Court at Tarkwa has fined Nangmin Kaal, a 25-year-old small scale miner, GH¢ 1,200 or in default one year imprisonment for assaulting his colleague and a police officer at Wassa Akropong in the Western Region. Also, the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu ordered Kaal to sign a bond to be of good behaviour for six months failure of which he would serve two years in prison. He pleaded guilty to causing harm, damage and resisting arrest. Superintendent of Police Juliana Essel-Dadzie, who led prosecution told the court that the complainant, Kwaku Tubin, a small-scale miner and Kaal resided at Adaamaso near Wassa Akropong, and both worked in the same mining site. He said on Thursday May 16, 2024, at about 0400 hours, a misunderstanding ensued between the complainant and Kaal when they were sharing money from gold they had, and in the process Kaal hit the complainant’s head with a stick and bolted. The prosecution said some people who happened to be passing by rescued the complainant and rushed him to the Wassa Akropong Government hospital for treatment where he was admitted for four days and discharged. He said same day at about 1000 hours, the police on barrier duty at the Wassa Akropong Goil filing station had a tip-off that Kaal had boarded a vehicle and was heading towards Wassa Akropong. Superintendent Essel-Dadzie said when the vehicle arrived at the barrier and the duty bearers attempted to nab Kaal, he resisted arrest and instead managed to escape. She said a police officer who chased Kaal and had him arrested, was assaulted by Kaal, but with the assistance of the other police officers, he was overpowered and handed over to the Wassa Akropong police. GNA

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Court sentences Ghanaian blogger to 30 days in prison for publishing false news

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Ghanaian blogger Jeffrey Epprim Nyame has been sentenced to a 30-day jail term for the publication of false news. However, the court acquitted and discharged Jeremiah Kobina Egyabeng, an IT professional, who also faced a charge of abutment. John Baptist Ayitse, a lawyer acting as a friend of the court, attempted to seek clemency for Nyame, pleading that the blogger is young and has learned vital lessons from his conduct and its attendant consequences. The convict himself supported the plea for mercy by pledging not to repeat the offence. However, neither the profuse pleas for mercy by both the accused and John Baptist Ayitse could change Judge Isaac Addo’s mind. He insisted on handing down a custodial sentence to Nyame instead of the requested non-custodial one. The judge expressed serious concern about the unfettered publication of false news on social media, resulting from a hasty desire to be the first to publish information without verifying its veracity and accuracy. Isaac Addo emphasised the need to “crack the whip” to serve as a deterrent to others who abuse social media to spread misinformation, which creates fear and panic. The prosecution team, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Frimpong, told the court that Nyame published the false news on his news portal, reportghana.net, on 27th October 2022. According to the prosecution, the article, captioned “Dollar account holders to get cedi at BoG rate for bank withdrawal effective 31st Oct?”, was circulated on various WhatsApp platforms, creating fear and panic among the public. It argued that the false news caused bank customers to resort to panic withdrawals, creating a difficult situation for financial institutions. pulse/daybreak

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Our legal team has submitted interim injunction over UG SRC election disqualification – Guru

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Maradona Adjei Yeboah, one of the aspirants who was disqualified by the University of Ghana’s Students’ Representative Council (SRC) to contest the student body’s election, has issued an official response. In a social media post, Maradona known in music circles as Guru indicates that he has petitioned the electoral commission of the University of Ghana’s Students’ Representative Council (SRC). “On Monday, 19th August, 2024, we formally filed a petition against the SRC Electoral Commission’s decision to disqualify Maradona Adjei Yeboah (Guru NKZ) due to his non-resident status. This petition has been lodged with the Electoral Commission and the Office of the Dean of Students Affairs of our dear university,” he writes. The statements continues that his legal team have also taken the matter up. “Additionally, our legal team has submitted an interim injunction to the Judicial Board, requesting a temporary halt to the electoral process until a proper hearing and ruling can be made,” he adds. Guru’s disqualification According to a communique issued earlier by the SRC, Guru does not satisfy the conditions that qualify him to contest the position. In a vetting report issued on August 16, 2024, the SRC’s Vetting Committee indicated that during their vetting on August 11, 2024, they assessed three treasurer aspirants, three general secretary aspirants and five presidential and vice presidential aspirants. Out of these, some failed to meet the criteria for the election. “Upon a careful examination of the documents submitted, it was discovered that two candidates from the presidential and vice presidential aspirants, indicated their non-residential status, which they further confirmed during vetting the process,” the report says. The report states that Maradona Adjei Yeboah (Guru) and Lawrence Edinam Egleh are non-residential students, for which reason they are not permitted to contest the election. According to the UG SRC Constitution, “A student shall not be qualified to any executive office unless: he is qualified to contest under his hall’s constitution, except that a provision requiring a student to be in at least his third year in this University shall not disqualify such a person from contesting for any office under this article.” It also states that a person who does not reside in any of the halls of the university shall not qualify to occupy a leadership position. “The committee after a critical assessment of the qualification criteria, noticed that Maradona Adjei Yeboah and Lawrence Edinam Egleh do not meet the criteria stated in Article 30 (1) (a) of the UG-SRC Constitution and therefore do not qualify or are not eligible to contest for an Executive Officer position of the University of Ghana Students’ Representative Council (UGSRC). Why Guru wants to be UG SRC President In May 2024, Guru told Joy FM on Showbiz A-Z that he was goaded by some pressing needs of the students to contest as SRC President. The ‘Lapaz Toyota’ hit maker said he intends to fix accommodation problems in the school and settle some inter-hall rifts. According to Guru, his main focus was to make sure the name and brand of the premier university is protected. He said as someone who is into real estate, he intended to devise ways of making students get a comfortable place to live and have a sound mind to study. myjoyonline.

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Farmer jailed three months for verbal threat of harm

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The West Ada District Court, Sege, has handed Atteh Asamanguah, a farmer, a three-month jail term for verbally threatening harm to another farmer, Clement Ackwerh, at Hwakpo. The action is contrary to Section 74 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). The court, presided over by Her Worship Victoria Akua Ghanasah, as magistrate, jailed Atteh on a CCTV footage prosecution provided to the court as evidence. In the footage, Atteh Asamanguah, according to the court, was heard threatening: “Clement Ackwerh, I will burn you like charcoal and I will spoil your life.” The court, pronouncing the judgement, said: “It is specific and genuine that AttehAsamanguah has the means of motivation to burn Clement Ackwerh like charcoal. From that time, Clement Ackwerh now feels nervous, which affects his quality of life, and even more, evidence that this verbal threat is also criminal. “In the CCTV footage, Clement Ackwerh was heard shouting for help in the apprehension of eminent fear of attack. AttehAsamanguah succeeded in threatening the life of Clement Ackwerh with fear of harm. “In sentencing the accused person, the court takes into consideration the plea in mitigation made by his counsel and also the fact that he is a first-time offender. I hereby sentence A3 (AttehAsamanguah) to three three-month prison term without the option of a fine, to serve as a deterrent to other prospective offenders.” The court acquitted and discharged ten other accused persons in the case, on count one of conspiracy to commit a crime with the threat of harm contrary to Section 23. This, the court said, was from the totality of evidence. Brief facts On October 4, 2022 at about 7am, the complainant, Clement Gator Ackwerh, a farmer and resident of Hwakpo, had information that some people were going to plant cassava sticks on a plot of land his family had ploughed in the village. The complainant, with his three brothers, proceeded to the farm and met Gladys Korkor Adi (A1), Victor Tonorh Lawerh (A2) and Atteh Asamamguah (A3), all from Addokope, another village, cutting cassava sticks. The three, after being warned by the complainant and his brothers to stop working on the farm, telephoned Tetteh Akpenkroh (A4), Amos Martey (A5), Sammy Apenku (A6), Ebenezer Asamanguah (A7), BuernoteyLawerh (A8), Promise AklamaAdibuer (A9), Tawiah Patrick Agbashie (A10) and Bernard Buernotey Asamanguah (A11), who together with A1, A2 and A3, holding cutlasses and chanting the complainant’s name, angrily proceeded to the residence of the complainant to threaten to kill and burn him as charcoal is burned. The complainant, hearing the chanting and the threat on his life, hid and watched the eleven people chant and rant for several minutes. Out of fear, the complainant reported the case to the Sege Police Station and at about 10am the same day, the complainant led police to Hwakpo junction, where the eleven accused persons, holding their respective cutlasses and heading to their village, Addokope, were arrested. The accused persons were cautioned and after investigations, they were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime with the threat of harm, contrary to Section 23 and threat of harm contrary to Section 74, respectively, of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). Chronicle

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U.S. court awards $111m to Trafigura in judgment debt default against Ghana

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A District of Columbia Court in the United States has granted a Motion for Default Judgment in favour of the Ghana Power Generation Company (GPGC), ordering the Ghana government to pay $111,493,828.92, plus mandatory post-judgment interest. This ruling follows Ghana’s failure to fully comply with an earlier tribunal decision from the United Kingdom. On January 26, 2021, a UK tribunal issued a Final Award, finding that Ghana breached its contractual obligations by terminating a power purchase agreement with GPGC on February 18, 2018. Ghana had argued that the foreign power company failed to meet certain contractual conditions, leading to the contract’s termination. However, the tribunal disagreed, awarding GPGC $134,348,661 in damages, calculated based on an Early Termination Payment formula in the purchase agreement. The award included an interest rate of six-month USD LIBOR plus 6%, and reimbursement of GPGC’s arbitration fees and expenses totaling $3,309,877.74, with interest at three-month USD LIBOR, compounded quarterly. Red also: Ghana vs Trafigura: The road to the $140m judgment debt Despite the ruling, Ghana only made partial payments totalling $1,897,692.40, leaving a significant outstanding balance. After unsuccessful attempts to secure the remaining payment from Ghana, GPGC filed a case in the U.S. District Court on January 19, 2024, under the New York Convention and Chapter 2 of the Federal Arbitration Act, seeking to recover the compounding debt. Court documents reveal that the U.S. court served Ghana with the petition on January 23, 2024, through Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration. The documents were delivered in Ghana on January 29, 2024, with a signed confirmation of receipt. However, Ghana failed to respond by the March 29, 2024 deadline and did not appear in the court proceedings. The court determined that it had jurisdiction over the case, citing the New York Convention, which the U.S. has ratified, recognizing UK arbitral awards. The court also noted that Ghana had expressly waived its sovereign immunity and committed to international arbitration under the power purchase agreement. In his August 6, 2024, memorandum opinion, Chief Judge James E. Boasberg emphasized that the arbitral award between the non-U.S. parties arose out of a commercial relationship, which falls under the New York Convention. The Convention requires that member states recognize and enforce such awards, regardless of the parties’ citizenship or domicile. While the judge did not grant pre-judgment interest to GPGC, the court will award post-judgment interest at the rate specified in U.S. codes, adding to the financial burden on Ghana. DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.

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