Gbewornyo named in another fatal traffic offence
Driver's mate charged with murder
Accra (Greater Accra) 10 September 2001 - The Fast Track Court trying six persons including two former ministers of state on Monday advised the public to refrain from making comments that would interfere with the trial.
The court, presided over by Justice Kwame Afreh gave the advice following an objection by counsel for Dr George Yankey, the fourth accused person that comments made by Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of Foreign Affairs and J. H. Mensah, Minister of Government Business, seemed to be prejudicial against his client.
Nana Agyei Ampofo said while the case was pending before the court, the ministers made public statements regarding Dr Yankey's appointment as President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).
Counsel contended that much as his client would not like to cite contempt proceedings against anyone, he expected that the public refrained from making any comments that would be prejudicial to his defence.
Ms Gloria Akuffo, Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, submitted that she has neither heard nor have evidence of the statement made by Mr Mensah.
Ms Akuffo said her understanding of the statement by Owusu-Agyemang was that he was referring to issues that might have happened before the trial of Dr Yankey and which were not related to the matter before the court.
Meanwhile, the court has advised the prosecution to produce all its witnesses on September 24 for further hearing.
Those on trial with Dr Yankey are Ibrahim Adam, former Minister of Food and Agriculture, Kwame Peprah, former Minister of Finance, Dr Samuel Dapaah, Nana Ato Dadzie and Kwesi Ahwoi, all former senior public officers.
They have all pleaded not guilty. Each has been granted self-recognisance bail.
GRi../
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 September 2001- The Court of Appeal on Monday adjourned to Tuesday the hearing of an appeal by Victor Selormey, former Deputy Finance Minister, against a ruling of the Fast Track Court (FTC) which is trying him for fraudulently causing financial loss to the state.
The three-man panel chaired by Mr Justice Kwame Afreh, adjourned proceedings to enable the appellant to reconcile two separate appeals with virtually the same grounds of appeal.
The two other members are Mr Justice Omari Sasu and Mr Justice Sule Gbadegbe. The court also found on record that the appellant had withdrawn one of the applications for appeal without notice to the trial court as demanded by rules of the higher courts. Senior Counsel for Selormey, Mr Johnny Quashie-Idun obliged.
Selormey had appealed against ruling of the FTC that it would not allow a defence witness to tender in evidence a contract document and CD-rom from a Ghanaian Consultant in the United States on the Court Computerisation Programme.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Sam. G. Baddoo, ruled that either Selormey or the consultant would be allowed to tender the documents, which were signed by the two.
Selormey, who has pleaded not guilty and is on a 1.5 billion cedis bail with two sureties to be justified, insisted that any of the defence witnesses could tender the documents, which were the basis for the transfer of more than one million dollars to the consultant.
GRi../
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Accra (Greater Accra) 10 September 2001 - Police on Monday told the James Town Community Tribunal that Vincent K. Gbewornyo, the 63-year-old man, who allegedly crossed a presidential motorcade on the El Wak-Burma Camp road killing a dispatch rider, Sergeant E. K. Owusu on August 31, has been named in another traffic offence.
Prosecuting Inspector Michael Quarm said Gbewornyo allegedly knocked down and killed one Kwesi Attah with the same vehicle at Gomoa Engleshi, near Apam, in the Central Region on January 22, this year.
He said Gbewornyo failed to assist Police by refusing to produce documents on his vehicle.
Inspector Quarm added that the Police would, therefore, need some time to work on the two charges brought against the accused.
The tribunal chaired by Mrs Shraha Ankumah refused the accused bail saying, "the Police have brought to the tribunal's notice that they are investigating a similar offence committed by the accused and the court will prejudice Police investigation if accused is granted bail".
The tribunal ordered the Police to work on the two charges and ensure that the accused have access to medical treatment. Gbewornyo, whose plea is yet to be taken, would reappear on September 17.
Chris Ackumey, Counsel for the accused, renewed his application for bail for his client but expressed his dismay about the revelation made by the Police.
"I wonder why the Police did not charge him on his first offence but have brought this charge against him.
"We cannot just accept this new development to block our application for bail."
He prayed the court to consider his client, who he said has hypertension that kept on fluctuating everyday at the hospital. Ackumey expressed his client's readiness to assist the Police.
Sgt. Owusu, popularly known as "Burger", was allegedly leading the presidential convoy from the Castle, Osu to Burma Camp, when Gbeworyo, driving a Mazda pickup ran into his motorbike.
Sgt. Owusu sustained serious injuries and was pronounced dead on arrival at the 37 Military Hospital.
GRi../
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Tarkwa (Western Region) 10 September 2001 - A circuit court at Tarkwa, on Friday remanded Kofi Nyamekye, 18, a driver's mate in prison custody when he appeared before it charged with murder.
The court, presided over by Isaac Lartey-Young, issued a bench warrant for one Kofi Asomaning, an accomplice.
Police Inspector Constance Addo told the court, that on May 14, this year, Mrs Mary Agyeman, a businesswoman at Tarkwa went to her store and never returned.
At about 11pm the same day, her husband, Ernest Yaw Agyeman followed up and found her dead in a pool of blood near the store.
Inspector Addo said the husband reported the matter to the police and after investigations Nyamekye was arrested at Takunaso near Tarkwa.
The prosecution said police investigations revealed that Nyamekye went there and quarrelled with the wife of Asomaning over some items, the husband gave her for safekeeping.
During the quarrel, Nyamekye mentioned the name of the deceased as the owner of the items. Investigations showed that after the murder had been committed, Asomaning sent the stolen items to Takunaso, sold part of it and kept the rest with his wife.
The prosecution said Nyamekye and Asomaning went to Assin Fosu in the Central Region, and when the police wanted to arrest them for attempting to commit a similar offence, Asomaning escaped and Nyamekye returned to Takunaso.
Police arrested Nyamekye when he wanted to collect the items from Asomaning's wife and on interrogation, he mentioned Asomaning as the one who killed the deceased. His plea has not taken, and he will re-appear on September 24.
Mrs Agyeman, 42, mother of five has since been buried.
GRi../
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