Farmer jailed eight years for defilement

GPRTU regional chairman fined for contempt

Disabled farmer jailed for defilement

Tarkwa (Western Region), 10^th July 99, -

Sackitey Kofi Martey, a 39-year-old farmer from Akokobediaburo, near Bogoso, was on Wednesday jailed eight years in hard labour by a Tarkwa Circuit Court for defiling a 12-year old school girl.

Martey, convicted on his own plea is also to pay a fine of one million cedis to cater for medical expenses incurred by the victim, the tribunal chaired by Mr Isaac Lartey-Young, directed.

Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Joseph Yamoah of the Nsuta-Wassaw Police said, Martey lives in the same village with the victim and her parents asked her to pound fufu for him one evening in May.

Although the girl refused to do Martey's bidding, because there was nobody in the house he dragged her into his room and forcibly had sex wit her.

Martey then warned her not to tell anybody else she would die but as the girl was finding it difficult to walk, she told narrated the incident to her parents and Martey was arrested after a report was lodged with the police.

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Cape Coast (Central Region) 12 July '99

A Cape Coast high court has imposed a fine of 50,000 cedis each on the Central Regional Chairman of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU), J.K. Nkansah and two others for contempt of court.

In addition, each of them is to write an apology to the court, presided over by Mr Justice K. Tweneboa-Kodua, for their misconduct.

Nkansah, Kofi Atta, vice-chairman, and A.K. Hagan, second trustee, are also to pay 80,000 cedis each as costs to Mr Kwesi Mensah, a former chairman of the number two branch of the Union at Mankessim, the applicant in the case.

Mr Mensah had issued a writ of summons against Nkansah and the two others, seeking a court order for their removal from office.

The writ also sought a perpetual injunction to restrain the three from holding themselves out as regional elected officers of the Union, so as to check their violations or further violations of any provisions of the union's constitution.

Following a request by Mr Mensah, the high court made an interim order restraining Nkansah and his two colleagues from interfering with the administration of the regional branch of the Union, which had then been

entrusted to Mr Jonathan Hago, an appointee from the head office of the GPRTU.

Mr Mensah filed another motion to the court, which indicated that Nkansah and the two others had interfered with the administration of the regional secretariat "by signing three cheques to withdraw monies in reckless defiance of the interim order of the high court".

After reviewing submissions of counsel for both parties, Mr Justice Tweneboa-Kodua said the interim order enjoined Nkansah and the others to stay their hands off the administration.

He said by signing the cheques for the regional secretariat, the respondents "partook of the administration which the court order restrained them from interfering with".

The judge said "without being metaphorical and disrespectful, I think the three respondents pushed their long hands into the administration and flouted the court order with ill-disguised disdain".

Mr Justice Tweneboa-Kodua agreed with Mr Ato Mill-Graves, counsel for the applicant that the respondents did sign the cheques "with their eyes and hearts wide open", and that the simple and plain court order was pronounced in their presence.

"By persistently signing cheques belonging to the regional secretariat, Nkansah and the others participated in the administration against the simple, plain and unambiguous order and that damnable conduct of the respondents was nothing but wilful", he pronounced.

Mr Justice Tweneboa-Kodua said the three "have committed an egregious contempt of court and I order their attachment for contempt".

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Goaso (Brong Ahafo) 12 July '99

A High Court at Goaso in the Brong Ahafo region on Friday sentenced a 63 year old disabled farmer to six years in prison for defiling a seven year old primary school girl at Dadiesoaba near Goaso.

Kwame Afuako, who has 10 children and six grandchildren, pleaded guilty to the charge.

Police Inspector Bawa Adam, told the court presided over by Mr Justice Paul Gyaesayor, that on April 20, 1999, at Nyamendae village near Dadiesoaba, Afuako invited the girl to cook plantain for him.

She obliged and after cooking the plantain sought permission to leave.

The prosecution said Afuako forced the girl and defiled her and warned her not to tell anyone about the ordeal. However, bloodstains found later in her pants let the cat out when she was question by her parents.

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