GRi in Court
International 20 - 07 - 2001
Bolga court remands three for alleged murder
Accra
(Greater Accra) 20 July 2001
Defence
Counsel for Victor Selormey, former Deputy Finance Minister on Thursday
declared his intention to call Dr. Fredrick Owusu Boadu, President of Leebda
Corporation Limited in Texas, US, to give evidence at the Fast Track Court.
As a
result, the court adjourned proceedings to July 26, at the instance of Mr.
Barimah Manu, leading counsel for Selormey, to enable Dr. Boadu travel from
Texas to Ghana to testify.
This
followed the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr. Osafo Sampong's
objection to Mr. Wilfred Sam Awotwe, Commissioner of Police, tendering some
letters before the court. Mr Awotwe represented the Inspector General of Police
(IGP).
The IGP or
his representative was on July 17 subpoena by the court to testify as to
whether it has received the letters in question. The IGP was also to answer
questions on several letters purported to have been sent to him in respect of
investigations into the case.
Selormey is
charged with conspiracy with Dr. Boadu to fraudulently cause the loss of 1.3
million dollars to the state and defrauding by false pretences.
Selormey
has pleaded not guilty and is on a 1.5 billion-cedi bail with two sureties to
be justified.
The court
is presided over by Justice Sam G. Baddoo, an Appeal Court Judge sitting as
additional High Court Judge.
Mr Justice
Baddoo said he was satisfied that the letters dated May 22, 2001 enclosed with
appendices and addressed to the IGP was received, but he noted that the IGP or
his representative could not answer questions on the content or appendices of
the letters in court.
He said the
law requires that the person who sent the appendices is the proper person to
talk about it.
The judge
therefore rejected the letter, saying though it was addressed to the IGP it has
nothing to do with the court.
Led in
evidence by Defence Counsel, Mr Awotwe said he was the head of a team that
investigated Selormey.
He said Mr
Frank William Beecham solicitor for Dr Boadu made the letters available to the
team.
Answering
questions under cross-examination by Mr. Sampong, Mr. Awotwe said the accused
reserved to comment on the case and chose to give his statement to the court.
Witness
said he investigated Selormey with regard to the Court Computerisation Project.
He said Dr.
Boadu's solicitors did not inform him about any matter concerning the project.
GRi…/
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Sunyani
(Brong Ahafo) 20 July 2001
Three
people from Acherensua in the Brong Ahafo Region have filed separate writs at
the Goaso High Court against the Omanhene of Acherensua, Prof. Nana Agyewodin
Adu Gyamfi Ampem for shooting at them on suspicion that they were agitating for
his destoolment.
They are
seeking special and general damages for the injuries and pain they suffered as
a result of wounds caused by gunshots fired by the Omanhene.
One person
died during the shooting, which occurred at Acherensua last April 17.
The
Omanhene is facing a charge of murder and causing harm at a Sunyani High Court
in connection with the shooting.
The three
plaintiffs are Mr Emmanuel Barns, an apprentice driver and farmer, Mr Osei
Brown, an apprentice mechanic and Mr Kwadwo Amponsah.
In their
statements of claim filed by their counsel, Nana Obiri Boahen, the three said
on the day of the incident they attended a meeting of the NPP at the local
community centre.
They said
the meeting discussed the rehabilitation of the public toilet and they visited
the toilet to ascertain the extent of ruin.
They had
just returned to the centre when for unknown reasons, the Omanhene started
firing at them as a result of which one person, Nii Ato Quaye was killed and
they sustained injuries for which they were admitted to hospital.
Mr Brown,
who says a bullet is still lodged in his right thigh is claiming three million
cedis in special damages, Mr Barns, with three bullets in his rib, left leg and
left hand, is claiming six million cedis while Mr Amponsah is claiming four
million cedis.
The writ
did not mention specific amounts for the general damages, "for the pain
and trauma caused by the gun shots".
Counsel for
Prof. Adu Gyamfi Ampem, Mr K. Otu-Essel has entered an appearance on his
behalf.
No date has
been fixed for hearing
GRi…/
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Sunyani
(Brong Ahafo) 20 July 2001
A Sunyani High
Court on Tuesday sentenced a 54-year-old man, Yaw Dwumfuor, to eight years
imprisonment for stabbing his wife to death.
Dwumfuor,
who was originally charged with murder had the charge changed to manslaughter
by the court to which he pleaded guilty.
The court,
presided over by Mr Justice Baffoe Bonnie, upheld his plea taking into
consideration that he was a first offender of the law, and had been in prison
custody for two years.
Mr
Betuuriseeh Cab-Bayuo, Chief State Attorney, prosecuting said the accused had,
for sometime, suspected his wife Yaa Sikayena of having an affair with another
man, Hubert Yaw Donkor, of the Asutifi
District Assembly.
Mr
Cab-Bayuo said on August 9, 1999 Sikayena who had refused to accompany her
husband to a funeral was later found in the company of Donkor.
Dwumfuor
went to Sikayena's house later in the night but she was not in.
He found
her and Donkor making love in Donkor's room and stabbed them both with a
dagger.
Sikayena
died from her injuries.
GRi…/
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 20 July 2001
An Accra Circuit
Tribunal on Thursday remanded in prison custody five suspected armed robbers
who attacked a driver of a cargo truck and stole 200 million cedis from
him.
George Okai
Yeboah, Kalo Oko, Obiola Ilechukwu, all traders, were charged with conspiracy
and robbery, while Stephanie Nkem, unemployed and Tina Asare, a chop bar
operator, were charged with abetment of crime.
The accused
persons whose pleas were not taken are scheduled to re-appear on
August 8.
The
tribunal, chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim heard that on July 4 this year, the
complainant, a long distance truck driver was travelling to Kumasi at about
0300 hours when he noticed a taxi following him closely after Nkawkaw.
The
prosecution said Yeboah, Kalo and Obiola who were in the taxi started shooting
at his vehicle, forcing him to stop.
The accused
subjected him and two others on truck to severe beating and at gunpoint
collected a cash of 200 million cedis from him and absconded.
The
complainant made a report to the police and upon a tip off the Police
Anti-Armed Robbery Squad succeeded in arresting the three men.
When police
searched the accused persons' house, Stephanie and Tina who were with them
concealed the pistols together with the money.
GRi…/
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 20 July 2001
Borley
Annan, a trader, accused of collecting 11.5 million cedis from a businessman,
under the pretext of securing him a plot of land, on Tuesday appeared before a
Circuit Tribunal in Accra.
Borley who
pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences was granted a 10
million-cedi bail with a surety to reappear on July 25.
Police
Inspector Emmanuel Tawiah Boison said sometime in May this year, Borley sold a
piece of land to Mr. Andrew Bortei Alarbi, a businessman at a cost of 20
million cedis and collected a part payment of 11.5 million cedis for the
preparation of documents.
Inspector
Boison said the accused who did not own the land, approached the owner, Ms.
Maria O'Sullivan Djentu, who said she could not release the land until a
dispute over it was resolved.
The
prosecutor said when every effort by the complainant to retrieve his money from
the accused failed, he reported the matter to the police and Borley was
arrested.
He said
three million cedis was retrieved from the accused.
GRi…/
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Accra
(Greater Accra) July 2001
An Accra
Circuit Tribunal on Thursday remanded Kwaku Oppong, a trader into custody for
bolting with two containers of lorry tyres, valued at 575 million cedis.
Oppong, who
is charged with defrauding by false pretences and issuing dud cheques, pleaded
not guilty. The case is rescheduled for July 31.
Prosecuting,
Police Inspector Emmanuel Tawiah Boison told the tribunal chaired by Mr. Imoru
Ziblim that sometime in February this year, Oppong approached the managing
director of Kinsadus Company in Accra and negotiated with him to supply him
lorry tyres to sell and pay for them after the sales.
Oppong was
given 500 pieces of tyres costing 575 million cedis and promised to pay back
within two weeks.
He said
when the time was due, Oppong made part payment of 156 million cedis and later
issued a cheque for 419 million cedis to be cashed at the Prudential Bank,
Achimota branch in Accra but it was dishonoured.
He said the
accused, sensing danger, went into hiding until June 7 this year, when the
complainant caused his arrest.
GRi…/
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Bolgatanga
(Upper East Region) 20 July 2001
Three
farmers on Wednesday appeared before the Bolgatanga Circuit Court on a
provisional murder charge in connection with the death of Ziaba Kubani from
Namolgo, near Tongo.
The plea of
the accused, Yine Sampana, Kabasaa Kasum, and Sampana Kasum also from Namolgo,
was not taken and they were remanded in custody to reappear on July 24.
Prosecuting,
Police Inspector James Owusu, told the court that on July 14, Ziaba informed
his father that he had won the national lottery draw, but he neither mentioned
the amount involved nor the ticket seller's name.
He said
late that night while in bed Ziaba's father over-heard a conversation outside
his room between two of the accused and some people, in which they said,
"we have killed him."
Inspector
Owusu said the following morning Ziaba's wife informed his father that the
three accused persons had killed her husband and that the body with several
cutlass wounds was lying in the compound of one of them.
Mr Owusu
said Ziaba's father reported the matter to the police who arrested the accused.
GRi…/
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