"Stop making prejudicial statements on
SSNIT inquiry" – CHRAJ
Gavor wins appeal against Bank of Ghana
Farmer jailed 12 years for cultivating
Indian Hemp
Farmer convicted for stealing cocoa
Convict in an abortive escape bid
Two "419" syndicate members before
court
Jealous lover charged with causing harm and
possessing firearm
"Stop making prejudicial statements on
SSNIT inquiry" – CHRAJ
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 January 2001
The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has ruled that JOY FM, an Accra-based radio station, should cease making statements prejudicial to the outcome of inquiry into allegations of financial impropriety against SSNIT.
The station should also not make pronouncements, which give the impression that CHRAJ has completed investigating issues raised in the petition brought before the Commission by Mr Komla Dumor, the presenter of JOY FM’s Supper Morning Show.
Transcripts of proceedings at the last sitting of the Commission on January 19 made available to the Ghana News Agency on Thursday, however gave JOY FM the opportunity to report on the proceedings of the commission on the case.
It said any new matter in the petition must be brought to the attention of CHRAJ for investigation.
The inquiry is into the purchase of a Land Cruiser for the Director General of SSNIT, Mr Charles Asare, purchase of 10 Toledo vehicles through Masai, Masai's role in SSNIT procurements, role of Mr Eddie Annan in SSNIT operations and issues on the Accra Abattoir.
At the meeting SSNIT raised preliminary points that the Serious Fraud Office and CHRAJ were inquiring into almost the same issues and the Commission ruled that he would sort out the issue with SFO.
The statement said Mr Dumor could not give evidence at the last sitting because he was not ready.
"The Commission explained that though they would not follow strictly the rules of evidence, they would observe the rules of natural justice," the statement said. "Also, evidence would not be given through reading of documents though parties could tender their documentary evidence and call witnesses."
The next date for hearing was fixed for February 1.
GRi…/
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Gavor wins appeal against Bank of Ghana
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 January 2001
The Court of Appeal on Thursday ordered an Accra Regional Tribunal to hear an application of contempt on its merit brought before it by a former top official of the Bank of Ghana (BOG) for his alleged involvement in the 1.5 million-dollar financial scandal that hit the bank in May last year.
The three-member panel chaired by Mr Justice Kwame Afreh granted the appeal filed by Mr Sebastian Gavor, former Director, Budget and Accounts Department of BOG.
While Gavor together with Mr Justice Ofosu Larbie, former Deputy Director, Banking Department and Alhaji Abubakar Sidiq, a businessman, were being tried by the tribunal, BOG went on to interdict them.
Counsel for the accused persons brought this to the notice of the trial tribunal and requested it to charge the bank with contempt and order it to return to the "status quo" by re-instating the two officials until the case was determined.
For failing to comply with the order, Gavor, in August, took the matter up at another regional tribunal.
Dismissing the application, which he described as "incompetent and vexatious", Mr Justice Benjamin Tetteh, chairman of the tribunal, said it had no jurisdiction to hear the matter because "it had assumed civil character".
Not satisfied, Mr Gavor appealed against the ruling of the tribunal.
The Court of Appeal pointed out that the tribunal erred when it ruled that it had no jurisdiction to hear the application because it had assumed civil dimension.
The court stated that regional tribunals are superior courts, which are at par in rank and status with High Courts. Therefore, they have constitutional powers to adjudicate in contempt cases be they criminal or civil.
The other panel members were Mr Justice J. C. Amonoo-Monney and Mrs Justice Vida Akoto-Bamfo.
Gavor was represented jointly by Mr Charles Hayibor and Mrs Margaret Insaidoo while Mr Nutifafa Kuenyehia and Mr Osafo Sampong appeared for BOG and the State respectively.
GRi…/
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Farmer jailed 12 years for cultivating
Indian Hemp
Asamankese (Eastern Region) 26 January 2001
The Asamankese Circuit court has sentenced a farmer, Daniel Tei to 12 years' imprisonment for cultivating Indian hemp at Brebusu village near Asuom.
Tei who initially pleaded not guilty, later admitted he had inter-cropped his maize and cassava farm with the hemp.
Police Chief Inspector John Boateng prosecuting, told the court that Tei was arrested by the Kade Police on August 24 last year, acting upon a tip off.
He said the police took samples of the leaves from the accused person's farm for forensic test and for use as exhibit while the rest was destroyed.
The report of the test showed that the leaves were Indian hemp weighing 10,000 grammes.
When the judge, Mr. S. Appiah asked Tei to open his defence, he confessed to committing the offence and pleaded with the court to deal leniently with him.
Mr Appiah said he has no sympathy for those who cultivate Indian hemp for a living adding that though the minimum penalty was 10 years imprisonment, he was sentencing the accused to 12 years because of the gravity of the crime.
GRi…/
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Farmer convicted for stealing cocoa
Asamankese (Eastern Region) 26 January 2001
A farmer, Kwasi Opare, who stole 32 ripe cocoa pods from the farm of a colleague has been jailed one month in hard labour and fined 400,000 cedis.
Opare, who pleaded guilty, will serve another nine months in jail if he fails to pay the fine.
On January 5, this year, the complainant, Mr William Ofori Amponsah, harvested cocoa on his farm and heaped them at a spot to be collected later.
However, on the next day, a witness saw Opare carrying a quantity of cocoa pods from Mr Amponsah's farm and accordingly informed him.
A report was made to the police who, together with the complainant and the witness, went to the house of the accused where he was found breaking the pods.
GRi…/
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Convict in an abortive escape bid
Asamankese (Eastern Region) 26 January 2001
A driver's mate who was waiting for the processing of his four year in jail sentence at Nsawam district police station, jumped from the first floor of the storey building in a desperate but abortive bid to escape.
His escort, Police Corporal Ebenezer Prah, who tried to prevent the accused, Collins Appiah from his escape bid by also jumping down after him ended up sustaining serious injuries and had to be rushed to the police hospital in Accra.
When Appiah touched down, he managed to escape but a search party later found him hiding behind the Nsawam government hospital and was arrested.
Appiah was accordingly arraigned before the Asamankese circuit court, presided over by Mr S.S. Appiah, who had convicted him in the first case.
The accused who was charged with escaping from lawful custody and causing harm, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years jail in hard labour.
Police Chief Inspector E.A. Nartey told the court that on January 9, this year, Appiah was convicted for stealing and was taken to the Nsawam police station to have his finger prints taken when he escaped.
Mr. Appiah who described the accused as a hardened criminal confirmed that he was a witness to the escape bid at the police station.
GRi…/
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Two "419" syndicate members
before court
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 January 2001
Two foreigners, suspected of being members of the notorious 419 syndicate, on Thursday appeared before a circuit tribunal for possessing materials and liquids used in printing fake currencies.
Ronald Henson Main, a Canadian and John Chang, an American, pleaded not guilty to preparation to commit crime. They were each granted 10 million cedis bail with sureties to re-appear on February 1.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Ziblim Imoru ordered that the passports of the accused persons, which are with the police be deposited with the court registrar.
The accused persons are to report to the police fraud squad unit every Friday.
They were arrested by personnel of the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) after a tip-off.
The Prosecution’s case is that Main, staying at St Patrick Home Lodge at Haatso and Chang lodging at an uncompleted building also at Haatso, together with some Nigerians and Liberians always moved out early in the morning and returned very late in the night.
Main and Chang claimed to belong to a Canadian NGO called World Wide Foundation, which they said is not registered in Ghana and not known to their embassies.
Police investigations however showed that the two belong to an international fraud syndicate called 419.
The prosecution said on January 14, the police mounted surveillance on Main and Chang and they were arrested at their homes. When they were searched, the materials used in printing fake currencies were found on them.
Main's passport was found on Chang who claimed he was taking care of it.
GRi…/
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Jealous lover charged with causing harm and
possessing firearm
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 January 2001
Kofi Agyeman a US-based Ghanaian, who shot a boy in the buttocks in a fit of anger for being jilted by his former girl friend, was on Thursday arraigned before a circuit tribunal in Accra.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Ziblim Imoru heard that the accused fired several shots, one of which hit a boy, Seidu Suraju in a confrontation with his former girl friend and her new lover.
The prosecution said on January 15 this year Nana Esi, Agyeman's ex-girl friend went out with her new date and on her return home late in the evening she met Agyeman in front of her house.
Agyeman asked her to come out of the car but she refused. The accused then slapped Nana Esi's boyfriend but the couple, in no mood to create any scene, drove away.
Agyeman chased them in his car to a filling station where he rained insults on Nana Esi's boyfriend. Agyeman then pulled out a pistol and shot indiscriminately to disperse the crowd drawn to the scene.
One of the bullets hit Suraju who was passing by. Agyeman fled but he was later arrested.
He pleading not guilty to causing harm and possessing firearm without authority and was granted five million cedis bail with one surety to appear again on February 1.
GRi…/
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