GRi in Court Ghana 09 - 02 - 2001
Amidu's writ against Kufuor slated for
Tuesday
Mothers of
suspected robbers remanded
Amidu's writ against Kufuor slated for
Tuesday
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 February 2001
The Supreme Court will on Tuesday hear a writ filed against President John Agyekum Kufuor on his nomination of three persons for ministerial appointment without consultation with the Council of State.
Mr Martin Alamisi Amidu, former Deputy Attorney General, who filed the writ, is asking the court for an interim injunction to restrain the President and four others from continuing to violate the Constitution.
The four are the Attorney General, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Presidential Affairs and Chief of Staff, General Joshua Hamidu, National Security Adviser, and Ms Elizabeth Ohene, Government Spokesperson.
In Mr Amidu's view, when President Kufuor assumed office, he named Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey, General Hamidu and Ms Ohene for the positions without consulting the Council of State.
He described President Kufuor's action as not only "a deliberate and gross violation of the Constitution and the Presidential Office Act 1993 (Act 463)" but also "null, void and of no effect whatsoever".
Mr Amidu contends that the three persons have since their "illegal and unconstitutional appointments by the President" intentionally held themselves out and acted as officers or staff in the Office of the President.
He said if they are not restrained, they would continue to engage in their "unconstitutional conduct and cause unauthorised loss of state resources to the country".
On Wednesday, President Kufuor swore into office two of the respondents, Mr Obetsebi-Lamptey as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Ms Ohene, Minister of State responsible for the media.
GRi…/
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Sekondi (Western Region) 09 February 2001
Eight persons who besieged the Sekondi Police Station and assaulted some Policemen were today (Wednesday) granted five million cedis bail each by a Circuit Tribunal at Sekondi.
They are, Kwabena Nti, 45 and Ato Kwamina, 21 both fishermen, Kwabena Akwando, 20 tailor and Papa Mahama, 35 plumber.
The rest are Jacob Amissah alias Kwabena Ebo, 55, Kwamina Quansah, 31 and Kweku Jacob, 30. They all pleaded not guilty and will re-appear on Feb. 21.
Prosecuting, Police Inspector John Akowuah told the Tribunal chaired by Mr. Frederick Miezah-Anyimah that there had been a misunderstanding between the chiefs of Aboadze his elders, youth and fishermen of Aboadze over the development of the Aboadze beach by a private investor.
The prosecutor said following a report to the Police, the chief, his elders, chief fisherman and the youth leaders were invited to the Sekondi Police Station by the District Commander of Police for an amicable solution of the misunderstanding.
At about 11:30 am, while the meeting was in progress, the accused persons and others now at large on board three vehicles besieged the Station singing war songs and demanded the immediate release of their leaders, who they thought had been arrested, the prosecutor added.
Inspector Akowuah said the shouting and singing coupled with stone throwing, forced the district police to persuade them to be patient but they rather became incensed and pushed towards the charge office.
The police commander asked his men on duty to arrest the rioters but they managed to arrest only eight.
Kwabena Nti and Ato Kwamina were alleged to have engaged two Police Constables J. K. Abourna and Mahama Moro in a fight. One of the accused persons bit Moro on his upper left arm the prosecutor added.
GRi…/
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Mothers of
suspected robbers remanded
Accra (Greater Accra) 09 February
2001
The mothers of two suspected
robbers were arraigned at an Accra Circuit Tribunal on Thursday charged with
abetment of crime.
Elizabeth Vanderpuye, trader, and
Cecilia Mensah Binney, chop-barkeeper, pleaded not guilty.
The tribunal, chaired by Mr Ziblim
Moru, remanded them in police custody and ordered further investigations.
They will both reappear on
Thursday, February 15. Chief Inspector Edward Antwi said the two suspects are
the mothers of Emmanuel Vanderpuye and Robert Lamptey who are wanted for a
series of armed robberies, including the recent ones at three forex bureaux and
a house at Tesano in Accra.
Chief Inspector Antwi said the
two, who are on the run, are believed to be hiding at Dansoman, Chorkor,
Mamprobi and Korle Gonno in Accra.
According to the prosecutor,
investigations showed that the two mothers approved of their children's
criminal activities because booties are sent to them for safekeeping.
For example, investigations showed
that Elizabeth accepted for safekeeping monies stolen by her son Emmanuel, the
prosecution said.
Chief Inspector Antwi said
Emmanuel later collected the money and purchased a Nissan Urvan Bus and a
Nissan Sunny saloon car, which he registered in his mother's name to prevent
her from exposing their activities.
The prosecution said that, on her
part, Cecilia, after receiving her son's share of the money, took him to her
sister-in-law at Sekondi and asked her to procure travelling documents for him
to travel outside the country.
The accused admitted the offence.
GRi…/
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