Chief before court for contempt
Prison Officer imprisoned
Obuasi
(Ashanti Region) 14 August 2000
A
Lance Corporal of the Obuasi Prisons was on Friday sentenced to five years'
imprisonment with hard labour for forging the signature and the stamp of his
boss to collect goods from the local Consumer Credit Union (CCU).
Lance
Corporal Seth Appiah, with 14 years experience in the Service, pleaded guilty
to forging documents and illegally possessing the rubber stamp of the Assistant
Director of the Prisons, when he appeared before the Obuasi Circuit Court.
Prosecuting
Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) P. B. Mawong told the crowded court that
Appiah bought a 14-inch colour television set from the Obuasi office of the CCU
on April 25, 2000 but failed to make any payment after the initial deposit.
He
said an official from the CCU on August 9, called on the Assistant Director to
find ways of getting Appiah to pay for the television bu he denied ever signing
a CCU document for him.
When
the document was produced, it was discovered that Appiah had forged the
signature and stamp of the Assistant Director. He admitted the offence when
questioned.
Mr.
Justice S. K. B. Alomatu, Presiding judge, said he hoped that the sentence
would serve as a deterrent to other security personnel.
GRi…/
Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 14 August 2000
Nana Kwaku Sarfo II, Chief of Kotei, near Kumasi, has appeared
before a Kumasi High Court for contempt.
A writ filed on behalf of the Kotei Plot Allocation Committee by
Mr. John Kwame Koduah, a Kumasi-based lawyer, said Nana Sarfo willfully and
deliberately flouted an Appeal Court's order.
The three-member panel, presided over by Mr. Justice G.L. Lamptey,
with Mr. Justice E.D.K. Adjabeng and Mr. Justice G.T. Lutterodt as members, at
its sitting on May 5, 1994, ordered that all and any existing committee or
committees allocating plots at Kotei be dissolved.
The court said, "by consent of the parties in the suit before
it, the Kotei Plot Allocation Committee is hereby reconstituted to include Nana
Kwaku Sarko II, Chairman, Mr. Kwabena Atta, Mr. Francis Amoako-Atta, Mr. Samuel
Daatu-Amofa, Mr. Kofi Adu and Opanin Kwaku Tawiah.
A sworn affidavit by some members of the committee said contrary
to the directive of the court, Nana Sarfo single-handedly sold some plots
without consulting the other members and kept the proceeds.
GRi…/