Judge urges parties to come to a compromise
Minority MPs drag AMA to court over Common Fund
Suspect nabbed after a year on the run
Judge urges parties to come to a compromise
Accra (Greater Accra), 16 February 2000
Mr. Justice Richard Apaloo, an Accra High Court Judge, on Tuesday urged parties in the Ashanti Goldfields Company's case to put their heads together and come to a compromise over the latest development in the case.
Mr. Justice Apaloo, after consultations with counsel of both parties in chambers, said considering the nature of the case, the parties should endeavour to reach a compromise by Thursday, February 17, which is the next adjourned date.
He indicated that if by that date the parties fail to resolve the issue, the court would have no other alternative than to determine an appeal, which is before it.
After the court has given judgement in the case last week, Mr. Kwame Tetteh, counsel for AGC, filed a stay of execution against the ruling, which ordered the company to convene an Emergency General Meeting (EGM) within three weeks.
Mr. Tony Lithur, counsel on the other side has opposed the appeal for stay of execution.
GRi
Minority MPs drag AMA to court over Common Fund
Accra (Greater Accra), 16 February 2000
Six Minority Members of Parliament (MPs) on Tuesday asked an Accra High Court to compel the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to release to them their share of the District Assemblies Common Fund.
The Court presided over by Mr. Richard Apaloo, adjourned hearing to February 15, to enable him enough time to study fresh papers filed by both parties.
The six, all MPs of the New Patriotic Party, (NPP) are Ms Theresa Ameley Tagoe (Ablekuma South), Mr Kwamena Bartels (Ablekuma North) and Sheikh Ibrahim Cudjoe Quaye (Ayawaso Central).
The rest are Mr Victor Okuley Nortey (Ablekuma Central), Mr Joseph Darko-Mensah (Okaikoi North) and Nana Akomea (Okaikoi South).
In their statement of claim, the MPs contended that for sometime now, they have been denied their share of the Common Fund by the AMA describing the assembly's action as deliberate.
They are, therefore, praying the court to order the Metropolitan Chief Executive to release their share of the Fund to enable them to carry out development projects in their various constituencies.
Mr Yaw Barimah, MP for Koforidua is representing the applicants, while Mrs Selina Fenteng and Mr Gilbert Addai Kyeremeh are for AMA.
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Suspect nabbed after a year on the run
Tarkwa (Western Region) 16 February 2000
After escaping from justice for more than a year, a farmer who together with some accomplices allegedly beat a farm labourer to death, has been arrested, and was on Tuesday, arraigned before a Tarkwa circuit court charged with murder.
Kwasi Kontoh, 47, whose plea was not taken, has been remanded in prison custody by the court, presided over by Mr. Isaac Lartey-Young.
Kontoh and his accomplices, who are now at large, allegedly murdered Anrejimi Builsa, a farm labourer at Adum-Banso, near Tarkwa on December 24, 1998.
Police Inspector Constance Addo, told the court that Builsa left his uncle, with whom he was staying at Abosso near Tarkwa, to go and seek for employment at Adum-Banso.
She said on reaching Adum-Banso at about five am, Kontoh and his accomplices pounced on him, saying they suspected Builsah to be a murderer.
Inspector Addo said the assemblyman for the area, Stephen Ayeben intervened to send the suspect to the police but the assailants ignored his plea and beat Builsah until he fell down and died.
They then concealed the body inside the Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP) but a security officer on patrol duties discovered it and reported to the police.
She said on December 28, 1998, the three accomplices, Kwaku Bandoh, Yaw Asamoah and Kwame Mensah were arrested and arraigned before a Takoradi Community Tribunal.
They were remanded in prison custody for some time but when they were later granted bail, they escaped.
On February 12 this year, the police acting upon a tip-off arrested Kontoh at his hideout in Adum-Banso.
GRi