Court orders take over of co-operative society
Evangelist jailed for stealing goat
Police Sergeant convicted for stealing bicycle
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 August 2001
An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Tuesday barred 17 persons from Achiaman in Ga district, including the former chief Nii Achia II, from going to the village until it determines charges of causing unlawful harm and abetment of crime against them.
The order followed reports that the accused went and attacked people in the village after they were granted bail on August 16.
They have all pleaded not guilty and will appear again on September 6. Nii Achia, who was destooled last year, allegedly led thugs to attack the people of Achiaman during the enstoolment of a new chief on August 3.
The Tribunal presided over by Mrs Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah heard that on August 3, the people were in the processes of installing Nii Quartey Ajan as the new chief, Nii Achia mobilised thugs from Nima and Maamobi in Accra and surrounding villages to attack the Chief's palace.
They beat up those at the ceremony mercilessly and inflicted various degrees of injuries on them using sticks, hammers, long knives, cutlasses and bows and arrows.
They also broke into the rooms of the victims and stole monies and personal effects.
The Police Striking Force Unit and Nima Police were called to restore order and arrested Nii Achia and the others while they were trying to flee the village.
The Prosecution said two of the victims, whose names were being withheld, were in critical condition at the Nsawam Government Hospital.
The others, Nii Odarteifio Mills, Nii Shipi Seitse, Daniel Amartey, Jacob Lankai Mills and Edmund Oblitey Commey, were treated and discharged.
GRi../
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 August 2001
An Accra High Court has ordered the Registrar of Co-operative Societies to take over the assets and the management of the Ghana Co-operative Marketing Association (GCMA) to save it from total collapse.
Justice Yaw Appau gave the order following a suit filed by Cletus Adadzi and seven other members of the Volta Region branch of the association on August 3 in support of a motion on notice for the court's intervention.
The respondents were B.K Senkyire, Managing Director and three other members of the national executive board.
The order ends the protracted litigation over the leadership of the association and charges of corruption against the executive board that forced the COCOBOD to withdraw its licensing rights.
In an affidavit in support of the motion, the applicants said the respondents have refused to comply with orders from other courts since 1998 to hand over the assets of the association to the Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
The non-compliance of the orders was in itself contempt of court but the defendants continued to hold themselves as the executives of the GCMA.
It said the respondents since 1998 had been facing criminal charges at the Circuit Tribunal for stealing some properties including jute bags and tarpaulins worth more than 20 million cedis belonging to the association.
The affidavit said the association has not been functioning properly since the appointment of Senkyire as the Managing Director in breach of the byelaws of the GCMA.
GRi../
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Aflao (Volta Region) 23 August 2001
An Aflao Circuit Court on Wednesday sentenced Michael Amusa, described as an Evangelist of the Church of Pentecost, to three years' imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a goat.
The presiding judge, Francis Opoku warned the public against people, who claim to be "Men of God" but have dubious character.
Amusa, 45, pleaded guilty and would reappear on August 27, on another charge of resisting arrest.
Opuku said: " The convict must be one of those charlatans parading the streets as Evangelists, Pastors and Apostles and committing disgraceful and reprehensible acts in the name of Christianity."
Amusa on August 8 caught, slaughtered and smoked the goat, which belonged to Kudzo Yekple but strayed into his garden at Bayive, a village near Atiavi in the Akatsi District.
The normal practice in the village was to send the stray animal to the Chief's
Palace.
When Amusa heard Yekple complaining about his missing goat, he went and confessed to the Chief and a fine of 222,000 cedis was slapped on him.
Amusa however failed to pay the amount on the stipulated date and the matter was reported to the Police, who had a hectic time arresting him.
GRi../
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Bolgatanga (Eastern Region) 23 August 2001
A Police Sergeant, Seth Kaba was on Tuesday sentenced to a 200,000 cedi-fine by the Bolgatanga Circuit Court for stealing a bicycle.
The accused, who pleaded guilty will go to jail for nine months in default of paying the fine.
Defence Counsel, Ali Talim, pleading for leniency said the accused was married with five children in school.
He said he had regretted for the "act he carelessly committed ", adding that after judgement he still had to face disciplinary action in the Police Service.
Talim said the salary of the accused had also been suspended since his trial and therefore a custodial sentence would bring more hardship to him and his family.
The Presiding Judge, Mr S.A. Kuoro said he had observed the position of the accused and the trauma he had gone through during the trial.
However the evidence clearly showed that the accused was guilty of the charge.
GRi../
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