Ahenkro Royal Family is eligible to the Banda Stool - Court
Engineer before tribunal for fraud
Auto mechanic remanded in prison custody
Accra (Greater Accra) 17 May 2001
Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, Acting Chairman of the Ghana Football Association on Wednesday told the Fast Track High Court in Accra trying ex-Youth and Sports Minister, Mallam Yusuf Issa that he carried along with him to Khartoum an "emergency sum" of 20,000 dollars for the Black Stars World Cup match against Sudan.
Giving evidence as a prosecution witness, Mr Owusu-Ansah, who headed the GFA delegation, said he did so because Mallam Isa made him aware prior to his (witness) departure that the money for the players' bonuses was not ready.
Mallam Isa is facing a two-count charge of stealing 46,000 dollars (meant for bonuses for the players) and fraudulently causing financial loss to the state.
He has pleaded not guilty and is on a 500 million-cedi bail.
Witness rejected a suggestion by defence counsel, Mr Ambrose Derry that he took the money because he knew that Mallam Isa's suitcase, which contained the 46,000 dollars, would never arrive in Khartoum.
He said since the players would demand their per diem on their arrival, he thought it prudent to carry the 20,000 dollars to meet such eventualities.
Witness told the court that the former minister handed a brown envelope containing 8,650 dollars to him in Khartoum in the presence of Mr Kudjoe Fianoo, Welfare officer and Mr Kojo Bonsu, an aspiring GFA chairman, to settle the per diem of the contingent.
He said it was then that Mallam Isa told him that the bag containing the money had not arrived and asked how the players winning bonuses could be paid.
Mr Owusu-Ansah said he told him that since there were only four foreign-based players, he could use the 8,650 to pay those players should the team win while the locals could be paid back home.
However, this did not materialise because the team lost 0-1 to Sudan.
Earlier, Mr Dan Piimi, Acting Chief Director of the ministry of Youth and Sports gave evidence.
Cross- examined by Mr Derry, Mr Piimi who was the sixth Prosecution witness, rejected suggestions of malfeasance against him by defence counsel.
Counsel had put it to witness that before Mallam Isa assumed office, he discovered that inventory taken prior to his appointment did not tally with the actual things he met in the office.
Mr Piimi denied that when the office of the former Deputy minister under the NDC government was inspected the place was empty contrary to what had been stated in the inventory.
Witness explained that even though the main items had been deposited in "the next room" there were a few more items in the deputy minister's office.
Counsel also confronted Mr Piimi with an accusation of incompetence levelled against him by the ex-minister over his handling of a brief on an Egyptian delegation to discuss the model of an Olympic size stadium.
Witness admitted that he provided the ex-minister with the model of the Accra Sports Stadium instead of what he requested for but this was because the Olympic model could not be located.
Counsel had pointed out to Mr Piimi that he embarrassed the accused when he could not identify what type of model he was dealing with until one of the envoys told him that "this could not be an Olympics size stadium model".
Sitting continues on Thursday.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 May 2001
The Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the Banda Ahenkro Royal Family is eligible to the Banda Stool.
The 5-member panel chaired by Mr Justice A. K. B. Ampiah, unanimously ruled in favour of the Banda Ahenkro Royal Family.
The Banda Ahenkro and Kabrono Royal Families have been embroiled in a long-standing dispute over the rightful occupant of the Banda stool.
This followed the death of Nana Kwadwo Wurosa from the Kabrono Royal family.
The court allowed the civil appeal in favour of the petitioners, the Ahenkro Family, that it was justified.
It also awarded a 4-million cedi cost against the defendants, the Kabrono Family.
The petitioners, claimed that the Banda Paramountcy rotates between the two royal families and that it was, therefore, their turn to occupy the stool.
However, the defendants, contended that the last person from their family, who occupied the stool, Nana Wurosa, was not recognised by the Ahenkro Royal Family.
The defendants said since the black stool on which the sacred act of installation should have been done, was not handed over to Nana Wurosa, he could not be recognised as the Omanhene.
The Kabrono Royal Family, therefore, claimed that it was their turn to install an Omanhene.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 17 May 2001
Kofi Agyeman, a building engineer, who is accused of defrauding a managing director of 12,000 dollars under the pretext of securing American visas for his two children appeared before a circuit tribunal in Accra on Wednesday.
Agyeman, charged with conspiracy and defrauding by false pretences, pleaded not guilty and was granted a 50-million cedi bail with a surety to be justified. He will appear again on May 25.
Police Chief Inspector Alice Takyiwa told the tribunal chaired by Mrs Elizabeth Anderson Yebuah that in March this year the complainant, Mr. Kingsley Antirakwa who is the Managing Director of Kwaritan Pharmacy at Okaishie, decided to send his two children, Mr William Preko and Ms Sylvia Ohenewa Ofosu to the US.
He approached Agyeman, who promised to secure for him the visas at 12,000 dollars. Agyeman collected 12,000 dollars for the visas and additional 200 dollars for two passports.
The prosecutor said Agyeman issued fake passports and visas to Mr Preko and Ms Ofosu and requested that one Wofa Attah, his accomplice, should take them to the US through Conakry.
Chief Inspector Takyiwa said when the children reached Conakry airport and were about to travel to the US, they were arrested and placed in custody.
When Mr. Antirakwa heard of the incident, he managed to get his children out from custody and reported the case to the police.
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Koforidua (Eastern Region) 17 May 2001
A 35-year-old auto-mechanic, who allegedly stole a vehicle spare parts valued at 5.7 million cedis from his client, has been remanded in prison custody by a Koforidua Circuit Tribunal.
Francis Aglebe pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing and is to re-appear on May 22.
Prosecuting Police Chief Inspector T. K Nyadu told the tribunal presided over by Mr G. S. Suurbaareh, that Nana Dartey Dankwa is a Timber Merchant at Begoro in the Eastern Region, whiles the accused operated as a mechanic at Klu Town, in of Koforidua.
He said, sometime in 1999, Nana Dartey and his driver sent his car to Aglebe's workshop for engine overhauling.
He said Aglebe removed the engine, dismantled it and asked Nana Dartey to return in five days time as he was to send the engine to Kumasi for servicing.
Chief Inspector Nyadu said, Nana Dartey, who could not return on the fifth day because of sickness, returned later to find out that the work was not done.
He said Nana Dartey afterwards made several trips to Aglebe's workshop but he kept on giving him excuses.
He said on May 10, this year, Nana Dartey visited the workshop and found out that the engine, water tank, clutch and battery of the vehicle missing.
Chief Inspector said that Nana Dartey upon his own investigations realised that Aglebe rather used his car parts to service other cars.
He said Nana Dartey then made a report to the Regional Police Commander and
Aglebe was arrested.
During interrogation, Aglebe said the parts of the car were stolen.
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