Farmer before court on theft charge
Businessman remanded on stealing charge
Prisons boss ordered to bring accused
persons to court
Farmer before court on theft charge
Hohoe (Volta Region) 28 February 2001
Ray Duncan, a 36-year-old farmer of Akpafu Mempeasem in the Hohoe District, was arraigned at the Hohoe Circuit Court for allegedly stealing 38 million cedis belonging to the Lolonyo Cassava Squad.
Duncan, who pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and stealing when he appeared before the court last Thursday, was remanded in prison custody to re-appear on March 8, 2001.
The court, presided over by Mr U. P. Dery, issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Daniel Obge, Duncan's alleged accomplice and an executive member of the squad, who is said to be on the run.
Police Chief Inspector Ben Billy Amenuke told the court that sometime last year, the Lolonyo Cassava Squad applied for financial assistance from Hunger Presbyterian Project, a United States Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO).
The NGO sent 7,500 dollars to the squad in October last year in response to the appeal.
According to the prosecution, Obge, without the knowledge of the other executive members, sought the assistance of Duncan to cash the amount in cedis at the Hohoe branch of the Ghana Commercial Bank.
The prosecution said Duncan got 17 million cedis of the amount while Obge took 21 million cedis without the knowledge of the members of the squad.
The President of the Squad who detected the deal reported it to the police. Duncan has since returned the amount he got while Obge is at large.
GRi…/
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Businessman remanded on stealing charge
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 February 2001
An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Tuesday remanded in police custody Ike Dentey, a businessman, for stealing 50,000 Deutsche Marks belonging to the Seven United Football Club at Tema.
Dentey pleaded not guilty to conspiracy and stealing. The case is rescheduled for March 13.
The tribunal chaired by Mr. Imoru Ziblim heard that the complainants are founder and co-financier of the team while Dentey is a German-based businessman.
Dentey also scouts players in Ghana for International Sports Agents, an agency in Germany that, recruits footballers for a fee.
Sometime in April last year, Dentey spotted one Fredrick Fameyer, a player of the team and promised to assist him to play professional football in Germany.
Fameyer informed the complainants, who were the executives of his team and they endorsed the idea.
They paid a legal fee to the Ghana Football Association (GFA), made all the necessary travelling documents and paid for his air ticket.
Dentey and an accomplice, a German National, who is at large were able to sign Fameyer on to a football team called FC Hansa Rostock.
The team managers in Germany paid 50,000 Deutsche marks through the accused persons to the Seven United Football club.
The prosecution said various sums were also paid in addition as commission for the deal but after the accused persons had collected the money, they told the complainants that they had not received anything from the agents.
The complainants wrote a protest letter through GFA to the Germany Football Association. The German team however informed the complainants that they had sent 50,000 Deutsche marks through the accused persons.
GRi…/
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Prisons boss ordered to bring accused
persons to court
Accra (Greater Accra) 28 February 2001
An Accra High Court trying the highway robbery case on Tuesday ordered the Director-General of Prisons to bring four of the seven accused persons who are in prison custody to court on Wednesday.
This followed the failure of the Prisons authorities to bring the four who are being held at the Nsawam Medium Security Prison when the case came up for hearing on Tuesday despite an order by Mr Justice Richard Apaloo at the last sitting to make sure they attend court.
The trial judge directed that a copy be served on the Director-General of the Ghana Prisons Service.
Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Jack Bebli and six others are being tried for their involvement in the robbery of gold worth 2.4 billion cedis on the Accra-Cape Coast Highway.
Police said on February 16, 1999, the seven accused persons laid ambush at Abotsia Junction, near Apam Junction, attacked a bullion van that was transporting gold from Amansie in the Ashanti Region to Accra and made away with eight gold bars valued at 2.4 billion cedis.
They face various charges of conspiracy to commit crime, abetment of crime, robbery and abetment of robbery.
The four in custody are Philip Asamoah, alias Agingo; Isaac Frimpong, alias Nii Baby Tei; Augustus Oko Odartey, and Kofi Bokor, alias Kofi Bebli. The rest, Patrick B. Mprah, Ex-Corporal James Doli and RSM Bebli are on bail.
At last Thursday's sitting when the accused persons were absent for the first time, Mr Justice Apaloo advised the Director of Public Prosecutions to liaise with the Prisons boss to ensure that a vehicle is provided for the accused persons to attend court regularly to ensure a speedy trial.
When the trial judge enquired about the accused persons on Tuesday, Mr Johannes Vegba, Assistant State Attorney, expressed surprise about their absence because he said his outfit was in close contact with the Prisons authorities and did not understand why the accused persons were not present.
Mr. Justice Apaloo said he found the action of the Prisons authorities unacceptable and warned that he would hold the Director-General personally responsible if he failed to comply with the order.
At Wednesday's sitting, counsel for the accused persons will continue with the cross-examination of Mr Eric Kofi Boateng, the first prosecution witness.
GRi…/
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