Court dismisses Ghanaian Chronicle's motion
Ex-convict sentenced to seven years for defilement
Tema tribunal refuses bail for murder suspects
Court dismisses Ghanaian Chronicle's motion
Accra (Greater Accra), 29th June 99 -
A High Court in Accra, on Monday dismissed a motion filed by the "Ghanaian Chronicle" for "stay of execution", pending an appeal against damages of 40 million cedis slapped on it in by a High court.
The damages were for the publication of libellous material against Mr Edward K. Salia, Minister of Roads and Transport.
The motion, which was on notice, was dismissed because the court upheld an argument by solicitors of Mr Salia that the notice of appeal was "fundamentally defective in law and incurably bad".
The court awarded 400,000 cedis costs against The Chronicle.
Counsel for Mr Salia, Mr Ambrose Dery, argued that the notice of appeal filed by solicitors for Chronicle offended the rules of the Court of Appeal, which states that "a notice of appeal shall be filed in the registry of the court below".
Counsel stated further that in this case, however, the notice of appeal signed by the solicitors of the Chronicle was addressed to and filed in the registry of the Court of Appeal.
Mr Dery, therefore, submitted that contrary to the impression created in the press, there is in fact, no appeal pending at law.
Counsel for Chronicle conceded the legal objection and accordingly, the court dismissed the motion as "incompetent".
On May 14, this year, a high court in Accra, presided over Mr Justice S.T Faakye, ordered the Chronicle to pay Mr Salia the amount as damages for publishing a libellous article against him.
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Ex-convict sentenced to seven years for defilement
Accra (Greater Accra), 29th June 99 -
An Accra Circuit Tribunal on Monday sentenced Boye Lamptey, an ex-convict, to seven years imprisonment in hard labour for defiling a nine-year-old school girl.
Lamptey, 47, pleaded guilty to the charge of defilement.
Before he was sentenced, the accused, who is unemployed, pleaded for mercy and attributed his conduct to the work of the devil.
Lamptey served a four-month jail term five years ago for a similar offence.
Police Inspector Alex Yartey Tawiah told the tribunal chaired by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson Yeboah that Lamptey lives in the same house with the victim at Palm Wine Junction, La, in Accra.
Inspector Tawiah said at about 1700 hours on June 22 Lamptey went to the girl, who was sleeping in front of her parent's door, "removed her panties and forcibly had sex with her".
He said Lamptey not satisfied with the act, had sex with her for the second time and warned her not to disclose the matter to anyone she would die.
The prosecutor said that the mother of the victim spotted bloodstain in her dress and questioned her, but she refused to disclose the matter, until some of the tenants in the same house interrogated Lamptey on the issue and he admitted the offence.
He said a report was then made to the Police, who issued a medical form to the victim to attend hospital.
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Tema tribunal refuses bail for murder suspects
Tema Greater Accra), 29th June 99 --
Seven accused persons allegedly involved in the murder of Mr John Lee Manu, a Tema Customs Officer, were on Monday refused bail and remanded in custody by a Tema Community Tribunal chaired by Captain (rtd) Philip Agbeyome.
Their pleas against the charge of conspiracy to commit crime and provisional murder were not taken, and will re-appear on Friday, July 2.
They are John Bentum, 60, retired Transport Officer of Volta Aluminium Company (VALCO), Edward Amuzu, John Mills Lamptey, Edward Mills Lamptey, James Atieku, Robert Kwofie Baiden, alias Kabila and Christopher Nii Ayittey.
They were represented by seven counsels, including Mr Kwaku Kyei Owusu, Mrs.
Edith Awuku-Asabre, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidoo, Mr Osafo Buabeng, Mr William Frimpong-Armah, Mr Paul Kpordofia and Mr Alfred Agbesi.
The Lawyers put up a strong defence for the release of the accused persons.
In mitigation, Mrs. Awuku-Asabre said Bentum never took part in the murdering of Manu and perhaps he was brought to the tribunal because his car was involved in the case.
She said, realising that his (Bentum) car was safe he did not go anywhere but back to his room.
Mrs. Awuku-Asabre said Bentum's. car was parked in front of his house, far away, from where Manu had parked his.
The other counsel argued that their clients did not commit the alleged offence because they were not at the scene of the incident.
They said it was a mob action and the Police made random arrests days after the incident took place and so innocent people were arrested.
Mr Mike Yirenkyi, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) said after close of work last June 12, Manu drove his car, an Alfa Romeo, to a drinking spot at Tema Community 7 to have some fun.
He said around seven o'clock Manu who apparently drunk decided to leave but mistook his car for Bentum's Opel Ascona , which was allegedly parked near his.
A boy, who saw Manu entering the car raised the alarm, which brought many people including the accused to the scene thinking he was a thief, stripped him naked and subjected him to torture.
The mob then dragged Manu to a distance of about 200 yards and again tortured him with a knife, stones and sticks until he died.
His plea that he was a Customs Officer could not stop the mob from killing him.
Mr Yirenkyi said Police investigations led to the arrest of the accused persons.
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