The Daily Graphic / The Ghanaian Times
Victim No. 25 / The killers strike again
Lawyers close in on murdered judges case
JJ's sit atop murder case
NDC's headache
Rawligns hits Dr Mahama
SSNIT had 135 bank accounts
The Daily Graphic / The Ghanaian Times
Victim No. 25 / The killers strike again
The banner stories of both the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times focus on yet another murder of a woman in Accra that the two papers say brought the number of serial killing in the vicinity to 25.
The papers say the body of the woman, believed to be in her mid 20s was found dead in an uncompleted building in a supine position with the legs stretched apart, a foamy mouth and nose.
Condoms, blood-stained underskirt and torn panties were found by her side, according to the stories.
Graphic described the unidentified woman as dark in complexion. No traces of blood were found on her body at the scene, neither did the body had any wounds.
Graphic and Times however state that in interviews with Ms. Sylvia Legge, owner of the uncompleted building, she said at about 6.15 am her househelp, Sarah Atwiwa, while sweeping found the woman lying on the ground naked with her dresses and underpants scattered around her.
Ms Legge, according to the story, thinking the body was that of a mad woman raised an alarm and residents of her house rushed to the scene.
She said she went to the Nima Police Station around 6.30 am to inform the police who came and covered the body.
The papers say a police spokesman at the scene indicated that finger-prints and other security measures would be taken before the body could be taken from the scene.
In related stories, the two papers report that a number of human rights and women's groups in Ghana have threatened to embark on a one-day strike in protest against the recent murders of women in the country, particularly in Accra.
The papers say a joint press statement issued in Accra on Saturday said the groups will embark on a sit-down strike if nothing is done to stop the gruesome murders.
The papers name some of the groups as the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Business and Professional Women, Netright, Amnesty International, Ghana section and the Ghana Employers Association.
They are reported to have demanded that the President and Parliament treat the murders of the women as a national crisis.
The Ghanaian Times however put the number of organisations who have protested against the serial murder at seven.
GRi…/
Lawyers close in on murdered judges case
The Ghanaian Chronicle has a front-page story in which it says the Ghana Bar Association (GBA) last Thursday gave a strong indication of petitioning President Rawlings to re-open investigation into the murder of the three high court judges and the retired army Major so as to unravel the mystery surrounding their brutal murder 18 years ago.
The paper says to put flesh on this plan, signatures of family and relatives of the deceased together with that of other Ghanaians would soon be collected by the association to accompany the petition after the decision has been ratified by the Bar Council, the highest decision making body of the association.
Chronicle quotes Mr. Ebow Quarshie as disclosing this to the paper at the end of a 2-day Cecilia Koranteng-Addow, Agyepong and Sarkodee Memorial Lectures.
"It is a step in the right direction judging by the interest it has generated. We will put it before the Bar Council for discussion. A petition to re-open investigation into the murder of the judges is a step in the right direction," Mr. Quarshie was quoted to have said.
More…/
JJ's sit atop murder case
The Chronicle, in another story, says twenty one years after Rejoice Otu Naomi had been allegedly killed by soldiers of the Castle, efforts by her 78-year old mother to seek justice has been stalled while a four hundred thousand cedis compensation promised by the First Lady has since not been paid.
Chronicle says it was told on the eve of the 18th anniversary of the Martyrs Day by Madam Elizabeth Fiagbe that her daughter was standing beside the main Tema-Akuse road when a Military vehicle hit and killed her instantly.
The story contains that Madam Fiagbe traced the vehicle to the castle and was told that an officer called Banini was responsible for the killing but efforts to trace him failed.
Madam Elizabeth is reported to have later located Banini in his house after several fruitless attempts but he later fled to Asutsuare.
She, according to the paper, led a police team to locate Banini at Asutsuare but he denied the offence, which made her sent the case to Madam Abgotui, President Rawlings' mother who promised to ensure that justice was done.
Chronicle carries that regrettably, that was the last time Madam Fiagbe heard of the President's mother on the issue.
The paper says in her last meeting with Madam Abgotui, she was told that the case was a dead one because it was such a long time ago.
Madam Fiabge is reported to have appealed for financial help to enable her contest the case in court.
GRi…/
NDC's headache
The Public Agenda reports that attempts by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) hierarchy to impose candidates on the constituencies in the run up to the December general elections risk forcing another splinter group to emerge from the party.
The paper, in a front-page coverage, says discontent over the scheme by the grassroots has become very intense as party leaders insist that sitting MPs be retained.
According to the story, some party cadres blame the loss of a number of parliamentary seats to the opposition in the 1996 elections on the National Executive Committee's (NEC) move to overrule several constituency Parliamentary primary results, which gave 61 out of the 200 seats to the opposition.
The Agenda reports that the party's current insistence that sitting MPs be maintained, is infuriating parliamentary aspirants within the party and their supporters.
It continues that sources inside the party say the problem of selecting MPs has degenerated so much that some of the potential candidates and grassroots supporters are threatening to resist the leadership at all cost including breaking away.
GRi../
Rawlings hits Dr Mahama
The Accra Mail, in its banner story says a Muslim leaders function to celebrate this year's (Maulud), the birth of Prophet Mohammed (PBH), took a farcical turn when President Jerry John Rawlings, far from being conciliatory, took a highly acerbic and pugilistic tone, lashing, snarling, and shouting at his perceived enemies.
"Throwing all good sense, and perhaps respect for the Prophet Mohammed (PBH) to the dogs, he latched on to the hapless Dr Mahama, the PNC Presidential candidate, who was present at the ceremony with what was described by those who witnessed it as the most unwarranted rain of insults ever."
According to the story, the insults were so vile that those who could not take them any longer managed to stealthily leave the place in disappointment.
The story says the PNC Presidential candidate, who honoured the invitation of the organisers as a distinguished citizen, suffered the ranting and insults directed at him in dignified silence.
"It was as if Dr Mahama was the subject of the function and not the glorification of the Holy Prophet (PHB)," the paper said.
Accra Mail said President Rawlings, occasionally jumping from one point to the other, held many stupefied at the unwarranted attack on his fellow politician stating that among others that: 'that short so-called doctor who claims when he comes to power he can improve the health-care system in the country."
The paper states in its story that President Rawlings has increasingly become erratic and irascible of late, issuing threats of future instability whenever he addresses gatherings.
GRi…/
SSNIT had 135 bank accounts
The Dispatch writes in its banner story that although it is appropriate for staffs of the Social Security Bank and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to be paid well, there is the need for a thorough review of their far above average salaries as strengthened by an Attorney-Generals (A-G) report.
The story says a 115-page report of the A-G on the public accounts of Ghana for a three-year period ending December 31, 1997 reveals that at one stage, SSNIT had 135 banks, of which only 44 reconciliation statements had been prepared as at the time of the report.
Dispatch says the report also found out that several issued cheques, totalling 3.2 billion cedis, some dating as far back as 1994, had not been presented and therefore remained stale and invalid.
According to the story, on non-confirmation of benefits paid by SSNIT, the report said, "we were unable to confirm the total amount of benefits paid by the Trust during the year under review (1996)
Dispatch has it that there was a discrepancy of 964.91 million cedis between the Accounts Department's records which showed a total amount of 20.37 billion and the Claims Department's figure of 21.34 billion cedis with the difference explained as resulting from processed but unpaid claims that were not taken into account by the Accounts Department.
The story says following the A-G's report, management had put in place corrective measures, including a reduction in the number of bank accounts from 135 to "only five main ones" and "the strict enforcement of weekly reconciliation of the main bank accounts."
GRi../