Court calls for identification of former
ministers
Farmer charged with burning sister
Court calls for identification of former
ministers
Accra (Greater Accra) 23 February 2001
An Accra High Court on Thursday ordered four former ministers to identify 15 others who are challenging the legal basis of President John Agyekum Kufuor's order on official cars they bought at concessionary prices on leaving office.
The president's order on January 24 gave a one-week ultimatum to former government officials to either pay the difference between the prices paid earlier and the second valuation or return the cars.
Mrs Justice Georgina Wood, Judge of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court Judge, asked the four former ministers to amend their statement of claim to make known the identity of 15 others joined to the suit.
The statement of claim was in the names of Mr Martin Alamisi Amidu, former Deputy Attorney-General, Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, former Minister of Regional Co-operation, Mr Mike Gizo, former Minister of Tourism and Mr Mike Hammah, former Deputy Minister of Roads and Transport and 15 others.
In their writ of February 1, the ministers contended that the President's order was unlawful since they have a contractual agreement with the state to buy their official vehicles they had used while in office, at concessionary rates.
They, therefore, petitioned the court to set aside the President's order. In a counter motion, the Attorney-General's office is asking for an order from the court to preserve and detain the vehicles which are at the centre of the case until the case has been disposed of.
"It is only just, convenient and fair to both sides that in the supreme interest of both parties, an order be issued by the court for the detention of the vehicles to protect them from irreparable damage and injury," the A-G said.
Mr. Clarence Kuwornu, Senior State Attorney argued on Thursday that the plaintiffs' motion is not properly before the court and called for its dismissal.
Mr. Bram Larbi, counsel for the ex-ministers, urged the court to ensure the unrestrained use of the vehicles by his clients pending the final determination of the case.
Mrs Justice Wood adjourned the case to Friday. She also deferred ruling on the substantive application challenging the President's ultimatum to March 29.
This is because the Supreme Court has fixed March 28 to deliver its ruling on another suit filed by Mr Amidu.
That suit seeks to challenge four nominees of the President who held themselves as Ministers before Parliamentary approval.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 23 February 2001
Moses Kobina Foh Amoaning, a renowned sports commentator and lawyer, was on Thursday remanded in prison custody for one week for contempt.
Mr. Justice Victor Ofoe remanded Amoaning, who has been practising for the past 12 years, for objecting to a document tended in court by the other side in a civil case.
According to Mr. Amoaning, he objected to the document being tendered because the judge refused to record his objection, which he insisted on.
"I was stating legal reasons for the objection, but he overruled and never recorded anything. I insisted that it should be recorded," he said.
"There is the need to be heard even if there is contempt but he refused and immediately ordered my arrest," Amoaning added.
He alleged that in the process of arresting him, he was assaulted by the police, who broke his umbrella and tore his notebook.
"If a lawyer who defends people could be treated this way, then I wonder what could be done to ordinary people."
Mr. Amoaning said not only did the police prevent him from filing an application at another High Court, but they also prevented him from seeing the Chief Justice.
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Farmer charged with burning sister
Asamankese (Eastern Region) 23 February 2001
The Asamankese Circuit Court was on Wednesday told about how a farmer who set his sister ablaze with petrol, attempted to escape arrest when he heard of her death.
The prosecution said Isaac Gyasi, the farmer, hired a vehicle from Asuom, near Asamankese to run away on hearing that his sister, Elizabeth Gyapomaa had died in hospital but the police arrested him on a tip-off.
Gyasi's plea was not taken when he was arraigned on a provisional murder charge and he was remanded into custody to reappear on March 12.
Chief Inspector John Boateng, prosecuting told the court presided over by Mr S.S. Appiah that an uncle of the accused and the deceased was awakened from sleep at dawn of February 18 by an unusual noise.
When he got out he saw that the room occupied by Gyapomaa, alias Afua Esekye, was engulfed in smoke.
He found Gyapomaa lying in supine position with severe burns and took her to hospital at Akwatia but she died soon after she was admitted.
The prosecutor said before her death Gyapomaa mentioned, to the hearing of those who took her to the hospital and the nurse on duty that Gyasi, also known as Okomfo Gyasi poured petrol on her and torched it.
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