Army Corporal before court accused of defilement
Tamale tribunal fines cyclists for traffic offences
Army Corporal before court accused of defilement
Accra (Greater Accra) 26 Nov.’99
An Accra circuit tribunal was on Thursday told how a soldier, who lives at the Arrakan Barracks, Burma Camp, defiled a 14-year-old daughter of his colleague now on duty with the Peacekeeping Mission in Lebanon.
Corporal Ernest Donos Ofori of the Fifth Battalion of Infantry, who appeared before the tribunal charged with defilement, pleaded not guilty.
He was granted three million cedis bail to appear again on December nine.
The prosecution said on 25 October, the victim's mother, who is a trader, left for the Volta region to do business.
The accused, the prosecution alleged, sent the victim's brother three consecutive times to buy him cigarettes, fried eggs and stake lotto for him.
Cpl. Ofori took advantage of the boy's absence and defiled the victim who kept screaming until her brother returned.
The brother, who became curious on hearing his sister screaming, peeped through a window and invited his playmate to come and see what the accused was doing to his sister.
The accused after defiling the girl warned her not to disclose it to anyone or he "will blow her head off".
When the victim's mother returned, her brother reported the matter to her and the accused was arrested.
GRi../
Tamale tribunal fines cyclists for traffic offences
Tamale (Northern Region) 26 Nov ’99
The community tribunal in Tamale has imposed fines totalling 440,000 cedis on 11 cyclists for various traffic offences ranging from traffic obstruction, riding without crash helmets and lights at night to use of unregistered bikes.
They all pleaded guilty and will go to jail for two weeks each in hard labour in default of the fines.
The chairman of the tribunal, Mr Mohammed Nabon in passing sentence said ignorance of the law is no excuse, adding that despite their claim that they were unaware of the traffic rules, the law will take its course.
The prosecution told the tribunal that the accused persons were arrested for the offences at various times between November 11 and November23.
GRi../