The Ghana Palaver says the ECOWAS Secretariat has been thrown into further confusion, following the receipt of a letter, sent to the Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, in reply to a query raised on the last-minute Government withdrawal of Mr Rex Owusu-Ansah, who was on the verge of being appointed as Secretary-General (Clerk) of the Parliament.

Apparently the reply, containing nothing concrete as to what must be done to get the Parliament functioning with a full complement of its Secretariat, has shocked not only Prof. Ali Nouhoum Diallo, the Speaker, but raised doubts in the minds of all, about Ghana's militancy in Pan-African Affairs, an act which can even be interpreted as that of a sabotage in the affairs of the Community as a whole.

The speaker had sought clarification from Ghana's Parliament on the letter from the Ghana Government, notifying him of the withdrawal of the candidate nominated by the latter.

It was the reply, which has prompted the ECOWAS Speaker to send down his second lamentations on the issue. "I confess that your letter, which I read to the members of the Bureau left all of them confused.”

"I think you will understand any embarrassment, dear colleague. For nearly a year, I am functioning without an administration", due to the absence of a chief of administration, through no fault of mine", he stated.

"I am more embarrassed when I remember that Ghana is a Pan-Africanist militant", he added.

Prof. Diallo, then pleaded with Mr Peter Ala Adjetey, Ghana's Speaker, "to harmonise the position of your Parliament with that of the Government of Ghana to answer the following two important questions.

Whether the Ghana Government by withdrawing its candidate of Mr Owusu Ansah, intends to replace him with another nominee or whether it should be taken that Ghana is giving up the position allotted to her by the ECOWAS Parliament?

According to the Palaver, the embarrassing aspect in the letter then followed thereafter: “In any case, I will have no other choice than to appoint a Secretary-General at the end of September since that will close on October 12, since the position of the chief administrator is indispensable for the functioning of the young ECOWAS Parliament.”

GRi…/

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Evening News

NPP MP takes Gov’t to task over withdrawal of Rex.

Kwabene Adusa Okerchiri, the Chairman of the Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee has criticised the manner in which the government is seeking to withdraw the candidature of Rex Owusu-Ansah as General Secretary of the ECOWAS Parliament saying, "it is not the best."

Speaking in an interview with the "Evening News", Okerchiri who is NPP MP for Nkawkaw said Parliament proposed Owusu-Ansah, the current Clerk of Parliament alongside others, saying the Executive and Parliament are two coordinate centres of power and the latter should have been consulted before any withdrawal could be effected.

The Minority leader, Alban Bagbin had also claimed that the government only wanted to support his favourites to get high profile appointments with international political organisations.

Mr Okerchiri explained that he is aware that the slot for the parliamentary clerk for the proposed ECOWAS Parliament was allocated to Ghana and three persons, Rex Owusu-Ansah, Clerk of Parliament, S.N. Darkwa, former Clerk of Parliament and Dr Niyi Alabi, a media consultant were nominated.

He said the decision to withdraw any of the nominees had not been communicated to Parliament.

Mr Okerchiri however ruled out the possibility that Owusu-Ansah was being discriminated against on political grounds, saying "speaking for myself, I am not aware that he had demonstrated overtly or covertly that he is a member of the NDC or any political party."

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North Voltarians want their own region

The Evening News reports that the Worawora Traditional Council in the Volta Region has advocated the creation of a new Region to be known as the Oti Region.

In their view, this would ensure that the northern sector of the Volta Region enjoys an appreciable level of development.

Announcing this at a news conference in Accra on Monday to confirm the acceptance by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to participate in this year's Akwantutenten Festival of the people of Worawora, the Omanhene of the Worawora Traditional Area, Daasebre Asare Boah II, noted that the first petition made to the Busia government was not heeded to.

He said the council again petitioned the NDC government to take action on it but, having failed with that also "we are for the third time calling on the present administration to take an action on our petition".

The visit of the Asantehene to the area, Daasebre pointed out, would demonstrate the relationship between the people of Ashanti and Worawora.

GRi…/

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The Crusading Guide

‘Powers-that-be’ break down locks to private apartments of Dr Yankey in Lome!

The Crusading Guide carries that the Powers-that-be in the ECOWAS Fund last Friday ordered the breaking of locks to the private apartments of the President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID) located at the CITE residential area in the outskirts of the Lome.

Internal Security personnel armed to the teeth with hammers, cudgels, spanners and three vehicles carried out with precision the demolition job lasting between 11 hours and 13 hours GMT.

According to the paper, eyewitness account said that Dr Sipa-Adjah Yankey, President of the ECOWAS bank whose appointment has been embroiled in a controversy following Ghana’s decision to withdraw support for him was neither at home nor in Lome at the time when what looked like a meticulous planned “break-in” took place.

The source said, “only the night watchman was available and observed proceedings with askance”.

The witness said officials of the ECOWAS Fund were accompanied by a well known Togolese licensed Lady Auctioneer, popularly called “Huisier” in French.

The Crusading Guide could not confirm whether the operation, which was under the directives of one M.B. Drabo, Burkinabe Managing Director of the ECOWAS Development Fund, one of the two subsidiaries of EBID, was backed by a court order.

Dr Yankey, who maintains that he still remains the legal President of EBID, according to sources, was away in Accra, Ghana, when the demolition exercise was executed.

GRi…/

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The Daily Graphic

Judicial Service axe 43 for forgery

Forty-three personnel of the Finance Department of the Judicial Service have been dismissed for presenting forged certificates for employment in the service.

The story, appearing in the Daily Graphic, says the dismissed workers are among a list of 80 persons suspected to have forged their qualifications to enable them be employed in the finance department.

The acting Chief Justice, Justice E.K. Wiredu, disclosing this on Monday said the action forms part of a major restructuring exercise being pursued to restore credibility to the service.

He told newsmen in Accra that efforts were being made to transform the Judiciary into a vibrant institution and redeem its image. He also reacted to certain media publications.

Justice Wiredu said there could be many more people who might have found their way into the service through fraudulent means, citing the case of someone who was employed as a watchman and, within two years, became an accountant because he presented documents to that effect. He ended up embezzling ¢20 million in that new position.

Justice Wiredu said the recruitment machinery of the service is being streamlined to ensure that the best applicants are recruited and retained. It is suspected that there are ghost names in the Judicial Service.

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Joint patrol team causes mayhem at Dome

A joint police-military patrol team caused mayhem at Dome in Accra last Friday, when it stormed a house in the area to effect the arrest of a cellular phone repairer, Mr De Gaulle Aryeetey.

In the process, a member of the team fired a gun and the bullet hit the leg of Mr Aryeetey. It is believed the team was hired by a creditor of Mr Aryeetey to retrieve a debt for him.

But before the team could take its captive away, an angry mob rushed to the scene, rescued the injured man and rushed him to the 37 Military Hospital, Accra, where he was treated and discharged.

According to some residents, a customer of the victim recently gave him some cellular phones to sell for him. Mr Aryeetey was said to have sold some of the phones and gave about ¢3 million, being part of the proceeds, to the customer, whose name was not disclosed.

He was said to have promised the customer that he would pay up as soon as the buyers pay up. This did not go down well with the customer, who decided to engage the patrol team to teach Mr Aryeetey a lesson.

The Graphic says its investigations revealed that when the team stormed Aryeetey’s house at about 10:30 pm, they ordered him to accompany them to the police station but he asked to be given a few minutes to change his clothes. As soon as Aryeetey entered his room one member of the patrol team fired his rifle and the bullet pierced through the door, hitting Aryeetey in the leg.

Members of the team were said to have rushed to the Atomic Police Station to report the incident. When contacted, Dr. K.K. Manfo, Accra Regional Commander, confirmed that there has been an unpleasant encounter between a household at Dome and the night patrol team.

More…/

Probe allegations properly – Economic Journalists

The Institute of Financial and Economic Journalists (IFEJ) has called on the government to carry out thorough investigations into allegations of embezzlement and misappropriation of state funds before prosecuting the perpetrators.

It said this would clear the air on the perceived witch-hunting of members of the former government, and avoid accusations and counter-accusations.

A statement issued by the institute lauded efforts by the government to retrieve monies either embezzled or misappropriated, as well as to reduce the impact of debt on the national economy.

It said the government's decision to reduce its borrowing from the Central Bank and the downward trends of inflation would encourage entrepreneurs to borrow and expand their businesses.

"The institute is also glad that inflation is showing signs of slowing, after years of hyper-inflation, during which the purchasing power of many Ghanaians were eroded miserably," the statement said.

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Boy, 8, shoots playmate dead

An eight-year old primary two boy at Awoshie, in Accra, horrified the neighbourhood last Friday, when he allegedly shot and killed his two-year old playmate, Abdulai Razak Mohammed, with his father's pistol.

The boy, whose name has been withheld, was said to have run to his father's bedroom for the locally manufactured gun, while they were both playing at home that afternoon.

He came out with the loaded pistol and shot little Mohammed in the neck, killing him instantly.

When contacted, Dr. K.K. Manfo, Accra Regional Police Commander, confirmed the story and indicated that the two boys, whose parents live in the same compound house, were regular playmates.

According to him, Mohammed came over to the elder boy at about midday to play with him, during which period the boy entered his father's room for the gun, already loaded with live ammunition.

The playing suddenly turned tragic on his return, as the gun went off, hitting Mohammed in the neck.

According to Dr Manfo, both the boy and his father, Hanson Boadu, a driver of Vanef STC, have been arrested.

Investigations have, so far, revealed that the gun was not licensed. Two extra live ammunitions were found in the gun. The boy's father has been charged for using unlicensed firearm and abetment of crime, whiles the boy is yet to be charged.

Dr Manfo explained that a child above seven years can be arraigned before court, referring to the Children's Act, which stipulates that any crime committed by a child between seven and 12 years, with ample proof that the child has sufficient understanding of the implication of the crime, shall be deemed criminal.

GRi…/

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Ghanaian Times

Cop robs cop

The Ghanaian Times carries that the Tamale Police are investigating the conduct of Constable H. Katsekpor who is reported to have sneaked away from guard duties at the residence of the Northern Regional Minister and robbed the home of his colleague with whom he was on duty.

The paper reports a reliable source as saying in Tamale on Monday that the suspect, on Thursday night allegedly went to Constable Addison's home, broke the door and stole a video deck belonging to his colleague, Constable B.B. Addison.

He then returned to his duty post without the colleague noticing. When they closed from duty later on Friday, Addison went home at the main Police Barracks block J and detected that his door had been tempered with and the video deck taken away.

He then raised the alarm after which investigations reveled that Constable Katsekpor was seen around the premises after midnight that day.

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Twelve students share a room at Legon

There is serious overcrowding in the various halls of residence of the University of Ghana, Legon, according to a Times report.

The paper’s search on Monday revealed that in the Commonwealth Hall in particular nine students occupy a room meant for five, which indicates that facilities at the various halls are being overstretched.

The Times reports Dr. Cornelius Akpabli, Senior Hall tutor of the hall, as saying that the overcrowding was illegal.

Some students, who do not gain access to accommodation and are refused perching with friends, sleep on the corridors at night. To ease the congestion, box rooms and rooms for tutors have been converted into rooms for students.

Facilities such as toilets have also broken down and some taps have ceased to flow. Perhaps, what is encouraging students to ‘perch’ (occupy rooms without the authorities consent) is the allegation that some resident students extract money from non-residents to allow them to perch.

Dr Akpabli said although perching was illegal the University authorities could not drive perching students away from the halls because "it is inhuman,"

"Some students are desperate and if their colleagues agree that they should perch with them, we will not eject them. "If we do that, we will deprive many of them of university education," he said.

He revealed that out of 800 applications received for residence this year at the Commonwealth Hall, only 96 were allocated rooms. A greater number of those who did not get rooms are perching.

Some students, who spoke to the paper however, blamed the university authorities saying pleas for the extension of residential facilities had fallen on deaf ears.

The private hostel constructed for students at Madina charges ¢1.3 million per annum per student making it impossible for most students to use it.

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Kotoko-Ghapoha match yield ¢142m

Tema-based Ghapoha F/C last Saturday's gamble of playing host to a formidable Kotoko side away from home paid handsome dividends.

After winning the three maximum points at stake and shaking themselves off the shackles of relegation, Ghapoha ripped her highest proceeds since joining the local elite soccer group in the mid 1980s.

The Times says its investigations revealed that the Ghapoha-Kotoko league played at the Accra Stadium grossed ¢142 million, about six times more than anything the club has ever recorded at home.

According to records, the highest, Ghapoha clocked in a home game was ¢26 million during last year's league which, incidentally was in a league game against Kotoko at the Tema Stadium.

Last Saturday’s match attracted a full house to the extent that fans had to invade the "banned" north stand, which was closed after the May 9 disaster.

More…/

I want to be undisputed champ - Agbeko

The Newly-crowned World Boxing Federation (WBF) bantamweight champion, Joseph Agbeko, is reported to be already eyeing the best in the division to become the undisputed champion through a devastating showing.

The heavy-handed diminutive pugilist who is gradually establishing himself into a bantamweight power-house, told the Times in an interview shortly after SWAG conferred on him promising star of the year award' that: "I want to rise beyond the confines of being rated only in the WBF".

"I have repeatedly told my manager, Tommy Okine after annexing the WBF title that I want to be the undisputed bantamweight champion of the world, and I mean it", the 22-year-old with an exciting all-action style exploded.

GRi…/

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The Daily Guide

One million Ghanaians to die from AIDS

Available statistics from the Ministry of Health National AIDS /STD control programme indicates that one million Ghanaians would die from the AIDS pandemic by the year 2014, reports The Daily Guide.

This will result in a cumulative total of more than 1 million deaths.

The statistic also indicates that about 120 Ghanaians aged between 15-19 years will die from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) every single day of the year by 2009.

The report from the Ministry of Health (MOH) was made available to the press at a two-day workshop on HIV/AIDS organised by the Ghana Centre of International Pen in collaboration with the national HIV/AIDS STD’s programme.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr Ibrahim Napuli of the National AIDS Control Programme of the Ministry of Health said given the fact that the commonest mode of HIV transmission is through heterosexual contact, many couples will die and leave their children as AIDS orphans.

He explained that available statistics show that the number of AIDS orphans will rise rapidly from 28,000 in 1994 to over 600,000 by 2014.

GRi…/

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The Chronicle

Court action very likely

The Chronicle reports of a 5 billion-cedi scandal in the supply of military vehicles involving the ex-Defence Minister, Lt Col E. K. T Donkor, which it says is warming up for court.

The minister reportedly, hijacked the transaction from an original supplier and used his receipts/quotations to cover up the deal.

The paper quotes impeccable sources within the Ghana Armed Forces as saying that after the minister and the supplier completed arrangements regarding the supply of 30 Bedford buses and 15 Land Rovers, the supplier left for the UK with the hope of meeting the minister to finalize the transaction. Whiles there it is reported, that he maintained telephone contacts with Lt. Col E. K. T. Donkor.

The ex-minister however, sneaked past the supplier when he got to the UK and acquired the vehicles himself after which he re-routed them through Germany.

The Minister allegedly presented the quotations and receipts that he had obtained from the supplier to cover the transactions, making it look as if it was the supplier who shipped the vehicles upon his arrival in Ghana.

The supposed supplier, whose name existed on paper as having supplied the controversial vehicles on being contacted to ascertain issues relating the import of the vehicles, reportedly told a committee that was investigating it that he himself was looking for the ex-minister for causing large financial loss to him as a result of expensive hotel bills he incurred whiles in the UK.

The Chronicle says Armed Forces documents it sighted strongly indicate that the former Defence Minister did not follow Armed Forces procurement processes and the vehicles bought did not fall with Armed Forces specifications.

GRi…/

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The Accra Mail

Melcom cited for employee neglect

Authorities of the Police Hospital in Accra have expressed dissatisfaction with Melcom, Ghana Ltd over an outstanding medical bill of 3 million cedis, which accumulated when one of the company’s employee was treated of knife wounds to the heart, private daily The Accra Mail reports.

Adamu Ibraihim, 24, casual labourer at the Melcom chain of stores who was stabbed in the chest last October was rushed to the Police Hospital at the point of death.

A consultant Surgeon, Dr. Zakariah who was then on duty after examining him, realised he was bleeding internally and had blood congestion in his chest. In addition to giving him blood transfusion, Dr. Zakaria used his private medical equipment to save Adamu’s life.

When Adamu was to be discharged, the hospital authorities realised that he and his family could not pay the medical bills so he was detained at the ward for sometime while the family wandered around Accra in search of money for settlement.

The hospital later decided on presenting his employers with the bill however, Melcom refused to accept it, arguing that Adamu was not stabbed while at work, “yet they claim they offer basic care for their employees,” the source lamented.

According to the source, Melcom said they were not responsible for footing medical bills of complicated treatments such as heart surgery but the report that Dr. Zakaria submitted, did not state that Adamu had heart surgery, rather an emergency life saving procedure.

Faced with the unyielding position of Melcom, the hospital authorities had to use their initiative to release Adamu from the hospital to enable him search for money to pay.

The source said it is now one year since he was discharged, and part of the bill is still outstanding. The rest was paid by ¢50,000 monthly deductions from Adamu’s meagre salary.

GRi…/

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The Independent

Baby Ocansey at it again - ‘I am a victim of mistaken identity’

Hajia Amina B. Ocansey, the woman reputed to be Ghana’s foremost ‘Queen of Con’ is out and is already at her conning best, says The Independent.

Hajia, who was granted bail by the Accra Regional Tribunal on June 5, this year slipped quietly to her New Gbawe abode, a suburb of Accra, and is already telling neighbours and hangers on that her case was that of mistake identity, as a result of which the courts have freed her.

To celebrate her so called release due to mistake identity, an almost instantaneous party was organised at her abode where friends and well-wishers poured volumes of white powder on her as a sign of ‘victory’ over the country’s judicial system.

Under that show of solidarity, ‘Queen Con’ could not help but shed tears to signify that the ‘truth’ has finally come out. She told the gathering that she is Hajia Baby whereas the accused in the matter of The Republic versus Amina B. Abubakar Saddique, alias Hajia Baby Ocansey and 3 others is one Hajia Baby Ocansey.

Hajia was emphatic that she is Hajia Baby and not Hajia Baby Ocansey amidst several rounds of cheers from the crowd that had gathered to welcome her. People in the gathering could not help but come out to lambaste the security agencies for picking on the wrong person.

The Independent says when it called Miss Gloria Akuffo, Deputy Attorney General on Monday to verify the truth in Hajia Baby Ocansey’s claim, she said she had information whiles she was out of the country that Hajia Baby Ocansey had taken advantage of the recent strike by State Attorneys to obtain bail.

It will be recalled that at a time that Hajia Ocansey’s whereabouts in the immediate aftermath of the 1.5 million dollar scandal at the Central Bank was reduced to guess work by the security agencies, the Independent broke the news that she was in town and had actually been spotted at a funeral.

Later events confirmed that she was indeed in town and was arrested at Madina where the paper had earlier sighted her at a funeral.

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Headteacher on the run

The Headteacher of the Nkum ADA ‘B’ Junior Secondary School (JSS) in the Central Region, R.C.F. Williams, after jeopardizing the lives of the 45 students of the school by failing to register them for the 2002 BECE, has vacated his post and is on the run.

The students, comprising 29 girls and 16 boys, paid their registration fees of 33,000 cedis each totaling ¢1.48 million to the Headteacher but he failed to present their forms to the West African Examination Council (WAEC) at Cape Coast.

According to the District Director of Education, Mr. Peter W. Droefeun, by the close of the registration exercise, Mr. Williams had not presented the students forms and attempts to get him for verification proved futile.

He said the Headteacher later went to the District Office at Agona Swedru to tell the District Exams Officer, Mr. Anaman Badu that he had sent his forms to WAEC office in Cape Coast. Investigations at WAEC later revealed that the forms have not been submitted.

A report was made to the District Chief Executive, Mr. J.K. Adjabeng, who disclosed that it was not the first time that the Headteacher had embezzled examination registration fees and therefore ought to be brought to book.

GRi…/

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Graphic Sports

Extend physical education beyond schools - Minister

The Minister for Youth and Sports, Papa Owusu-Ankomah, has called on physical education instructors to extend their work beyond the school environment to impact positively on the society at large, sports bi-weekly the Graphic Sports reports.

He urged them to identify with keep fit clubs in their communities and help educate the members on basic principles of keeping fit.

In an address read for him by Ben Bukari Salifu, Northern Regional Minister, at the Sixth Annual Congress of the Physical Education Association of Ghana (PEAG) in Tamale, the Minister said in doing that, physical education instructors would be helping “to keep alive the enthusiasm and interest that people have in mass sports and thereby bring the influence of their profession to bear on society.

GRi…/

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Asante Kotoko Express

I’m sorry – Ablordey

Suspended Asante Kotoko F/C captain, Godwin Ablordey has rendered a personal apology to the management, technical team, playing body and the numerous supporters of Kumasi Asante Kotoko for attracting the red card which led to his expulsion during the club’s 20^th week league match against Tema Ghapoha, reports the Asante Kotoko Express.

Describing his expulsion as truly unfortunate in a letter dated September 22, 2001, the skipper said the Ghapoha player over dramatised the incident to attract the sympathy of the match officials.

“As captain of the club, it is my responsibility to show good example both on and off the field. I’ve done so over the period that I have been captain of the team. However, it was unfortunate that the Ghapoha player over dramatised the incident to get me out of the game”, he said.

Disclosing events that led to his expulsion, Ablordey said he had no intention of hitting Sam Hanson. “It was not my intention to hit him. We had a throw-in and I was taking off for a pass but I hit him in the course of swinging my arms.”

The Kotoko skipper was red carded in the 30^th minute of their game with Tema Ghapoha when he hit the face of Sam Hansen with his elbow. Kotoko lost the match 0-1.

GRi…/

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Hearts News

Osei Kuffour disappointed with fans behaviour

Ghana’s Footballer of the year and Accra Hearts of Oak enterprising striker Emmanuel Osei Kuffour has stated that he is really disappointed by the behaviour of the fans who accused him of collecting bribe from Kotoko in last Sunday’s league match.

Kufuor told his club’s mouthpiece, Hearts News last Tuesday at the club’s training grounds that he was appalled by the behaviour of some supporters of the club in verbally attacking him and some players after they lost 0-2 to Asante Kotoko.

Osei Kuffour who was down hearted when the paper caught up with him said he couldn’t just understand why the fans were accusing them of collecting bribe. “It is just unfortunate that our own supporters are behaving this way and accusing us of taking money from Kotoko.”

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Hearts board instructs arrest of hooligans

The management of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club Limited has been charged by the Board of Directors to immediately cause the arrest of any Hearts fan identified as a culprit in any act of hooliganism either during the club’s matches or at the training grounds.

This is to curb the pockets of attacks by some disgruntled fans on officials of the club, players, sports personalities and referees during difficult matches.

At a joint board, management and technical team meeting held last Thursday to reflect on the team’s performance and the way forward after last Sunday’s shocking defeat, the club’s officials were of the view that the perpetrators of such acts do not really have the interest of Hearts at heart but rather support personalities.

The board pleaded with fans to desist from any acts of hooliganism, which could cause the abrupt end of a match warning that it could rather let the club suffer.

GRi…/

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