Court to rule on Bank of Ghana case on July 20
"No case against Benneh", defence counsel tells court
Fraud, couple granted 10 million cedis bail
Court to rule on Bank of Ghana case on July 20
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 July '99
An Accra High Court would on July 20 give its ruling on whether it should restrain Bank of Ghana (BOG) from interfering with the operations of Brotherly Link Company, which deals in SUSU collection.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Nana Gyamera Tawiah, would on that day also rule on whether BOG had caused a defamatory publication against the company.
The court fixed the date after counsel for the company and BOG had completed their submissions in a matter in which the company is seeking the court's order of injunction against BOG.
The company and its four directors filed a writ on June 10 claiming damages from the defendants for allegedly making a libellous publication in the Daily Graphic that its operations are illegal.
Defendants mentioned in the suit are BOG, Mr D. O. Andah, Director of Non-banking Institutions Unit of BOG, Graphic Corporation and its acting editor, Mr Yaw Boadu Ayeboafoh and the Golden Neo Life Diamite International, a foreign-based company, which deals in SUSU.
Mr Thomas Ward-Brew, counsel for the plaintiffs, urged the court to restrain BOG from interfering or stopping the company from doing its legitimate business.
He said his clients have registered with the Registrar-General's Department to do SUSU business and it would be unfair on the part of BOG to stop them from going about their lawful operations.
Counsel is also claiming damages from the defendants for making a defamatory publication about the operations of the plaintiffs.
Mr Agoloso Mensah, counsel for BOG said the plaintiffs cannot operate their business, because their mode of operations is at variance with the law and regulations governing financial institutions.
Besides that BOG, which is mandated to regulate activities of all financial institutions in the country, has not registered the plaintiff to do financial business.
Mr J. K. Agyemang, counsel for Graphic submitted that the paper did its duty by publishing what BOG requested because it was of national interest.
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"No case against Benneh", defence counsel tells court
Accra (Greater Accra) 14 July '99
Mr Ray Kakraba-Quarshie, counsel for Frank Benneh, a former diplomat charged with dealing in narcotic drugs, on Tuesday called on an Accra Regional Tribunal to acquit and discharge his client because the prosecution has not proved the charge.
Mr Kakraba-Quarshie made the call when he made a submission of "no case" in favour of his client after the prosecution had announced that it had closed its case.
Benneh, who was serving in Switzerland, has pleaded not guilty and he is on a 10 million-cedi bail.
The Swiss Police arrested Benneh in 1996 with some foreign nationals resident in Geneva for allegedly dealing in cocaine.
After his arrest, the Ghana Government sent a team from the Narcotics Control Board to negotiate with the Swiss authorities for his release and trial in Ghana.
Mr Kakraba-Quarshie said the prosecution failed to call vital witnesses from Switzerland to testify as to how Benneh committed the offence and was arrested.
He said the prosecution told the court that his client committed the offence with some foreign nationals, who were also arrested by the Swiss Police.
Counsel submitted that the prosecution called neither any of the accomplices nor a member of the team that arrested him to give evidence.
Mr Kakraba-Quarshie, therefore, urged the court to acquit and discharge him.
The prosecution would on July 23 reply to the submissions.
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Fraud, couple granted 10 million cedis bail
Kumasi (Ashanti), 14th July 99 –
A Kumasi Circuit Tribunal on Monday granted 10 million cedis bail to a couple, Stephen Badu, a mechanic and his wife, Mary Osei, a trader for allegedly defrauding Mr Kwame Frimpong, a taxi driver of six Million cedis under the pretext of selling a plot of land to him.
The couple pleaded not guilty to the crime and will re-appear on Monday, July 19.
Police Superintendent, Miss Florence Arthur, prosecuting, told the tribunal, chaired by Mr Joseph A. Abanga, earlier in the year, a brother of Frimpong living abroad the desire to purchase a Plot of land in Kumasi.
She said someone introduced Badu to Frimpong and he took him to inspect a plot of land at Breman a suburb of Kumasi which Badu said costs six million cedis.
The prosecutor said on June four this year, Frimpong went to the house of Badu with the money but met his wife Mary, who collected the money to be given to her husband.
Superintendent Arthur said later both Badu and his wife took Frimpong to the plot of land, but offered him half of the plot instead of the whole piece, which Frimpong rejected.
Frimpong then requested for a refund of his money but the couple failed to produce and when into hiding until July 11, when they were arrested.
Mr J. K. Koduah, counsel for the couple prayed to the Tribunal for bail, which was granted.
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