Day: June 20, 2024

The High Court in Accra has admitted into evidence all 68 WhatsApp messages between the Attorney General, Godfred Dame, and businessman, Richard Jakpa, the third accused in the ongoing trial of Minority Leader Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, which the state presented during proceedings on Tuesday, June 18, 2024.

According to a report by thelawplatform.online, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, the Court of Appeals judge presiding over the case, indicated that she was admitting the messages on the grounds of completeness of evidence, fairness to the trial, and reciprocity.

This was after the lawyer for the 3rd accused objected to the tendering of the WhatsApp messages as evidence during proceedings on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

Jakpa’s lawyer, Thaddeus Sory, indicated that his objection was on the grounds of relevance and authenticity.

“Relying on section 52 of NRCD 232, Evidence Act (1972), Mr. Sory said the admission of the messages would pose a danger of unfairly prejudicing the trial. He said there are missing par
ts of the conversation between the 3rd accused, Richard Jakpa, and the A-G and therefore does not give a complete picture of the correspondence between the two.

“He also argued that the processes already filed in court suggest that the A-G did not read the messages and thus the chat is not relevant for the purposes the A-G wishes to have the WhatsApp conversation tendered,” part of the report reads.

Lawyer Sory also argued that the WhatsApp chat print-out which the prosecution was seeking to tender does not reflect the conversation between Dame and Jakpa.

Also, Jakpa during his testimony stated that the messages had been tampered with.

However, the lawyer for the state, Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecutions, contended that the 68 messages were relevant as they were brought before the court through the same witness.

She argued that the chat previously submitted to the court through Jakpa was incomplete and therefore the chat presented by the state completes the conversation between
the third accused and the Attorney General.

Lawyer Atakora Obuobisa also said the messages would assist the court, refuting the claim of omission by the lawyer of the third accused.

But Justice Serwah Asare-Botwe sided with the state prosecutor.

She pointed out that the court reserves the right to determine the weight of the evidence presented.

She also argued that reciprocity required that the part of the chat of the Attorney General also be admitted as that which Jakpa found relevant for his case was also admitted and in evidence.

Source: Ghana Web

The Pokuase-Mayera Road, a lifeline for many communities, has become a symbol of neglect and hardship.

This vital route, in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, has deep potholes and uneven surfaces, making every journey a test of endurance and patience. The road, which has worsened over time, has become dangerous for vehicles and pedestrians.

Commuters and residents along the Pokuase-Mayera road face daily challenges navigating the hazardous stretch. The once bustling thoroughfare now is a stark reminder of the consequences of neglecting crucial infrastructure.

The road’s sorry state not only disrupts travel but also impacts the livelihoods of those relying on it for their daily activities. Despite pleas from the community and calls for action, the road continues to deteriorate, leaving many to wonder when relief will come.

The resilience of the people using this road is commendable, but their patience is wearing thin as they endure the hardships caused by its deplorable condition. The deplorable state of
the road is a wake-up call to authorities to prioritise infrastructure maintenance and development.

Immediate attention and resources are needed to restore this vital link and ensure the safety and well-being of all who depend on it. The road’s rehabilitation is not just a matter of convenience, but a necessity for the communities it serves, highlighting the urgent need for action to address this pressing issue.

Source: Ghana Web

Director of Communications and spokesperson for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s campaign, Denis Miracle Aboagye, has emphasised the necessity of selecting a ‘politically correct’ running mate for the New Patriotic Party’s flagbearer.

Speaking on PM Express on JoyNews, he noted that the running mate of Dr. Bawumia must bring substantial votes to the table and effectively complement Bawumia’s governance efforts once in power.

‘These are the two key or critical ingredients and these two things are what is driving him (Bawumia). Like I said, this person must be politically correct.

‘This simply means that we are going out there to go and look for votes, we need to win before we govern. So this person must be one that will bring in the votes to support all the votes that Dr Bawumia himself will be bringing.’

‘Eventually, when we win the elections based on the votes that we have collectively brought into the polls, we need to govern.

‘In governance, Dr. Bawumia has articulated several policies and action points for var
ious sectors and he would need a person who would complement his efforts and give him the right support to be able to implement and execute this vision,’ Mr Aboagye said.

Taking into consideration these key factors, the Bawumia campaign spokesperson said that the NPP flagbearer was certain of who to select as running mate before he decided to run as flagbearer.

Mr. Aboagye stated that he is only following the NPP’s rules which has been that the running mate should be nominated in consultation with the National Council who would ratify approval otherwise.

‘But he (Dr. Bawumia), as a person, has been clear in his mind who he is nominating, long before he was elected on November 4th during the presidential primaries. What is left now is for the time to be due,’ Mr. Aboagye said.

His comments come after a National Investigative Bureau survey revealed that Energy Minister, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is widely preferred among party members to be the running mate to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, Dr. Ma
hamadu Bawumia.

The survey engaged 5,116 NPP delegates nationwide, including national, regional, constituency, and polling station executives.

According to the study, Dr. Opoku Prempeh secured 76.2% of the responses from executives polled.

Following him was the Minister of Education and MP for the Bosomtwe, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum, who garnered 10.16%.

Other notable personalities the delegates consider for the role include Apostle Opoku Onyinah, former Chairman of the Pentecost Church-Ghana, and Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Agriculture and MP for Abetifi Constituency.

As Dr. Bawumia faces the challenge of choosing among some bigwigs of the party, the survey reveals that there was a strong consensus that the running mate should be selected from the Ashanti Region.

Source: Ghana Web

The former president and flagbearer of the NDC, John Dramani Mahama, has revealed that for a country to have a very peaceful democracy, it must have an electoral commission that is very fair and not biased.

Delivering a public lecture at the Christian Service University College on the theme “Sustainability of Democracy in Africa: The Ghanaian Experience,” the former president expressed concern over the rate at which Ghana’s current EC poses lots of questions in the minds of people.

He also raised an alarm over the dubious means through which some well-known members of the NPP were appointed to the electoral commission by the current president, Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo. He cited a former TESCON patron and NPP communicator, Dr. Appiahene, among others, as major examples to support his claim.

“Dr. Afari Gyan retired as an EC and has since become an icon in Africa’s democracy, due to how he comported himself. I appointed Mrs. Charlotte, but I lost under her watch, and this should tell you how fair she was.
Now, these people used dubious means to remove her and her two assistants from office. Now we all know what’s going on,” he said.

According to him, this component of the current EC, in addition to several questionable postures of the electoral commission, does not augment the quality of democracy and its sustainability that we want as a country.

He also talked about the subverting of people’s will, where he disclosed that all these activities undermine democracy. He touched on rigging, intimidation, inducement, among others, as the key factors to subverting the will of the people.

“Subverting the will of the people is one of the key factors that undermine democracy. If the will of the people is not upheld, it undermines democracy. That is what happens when the electoral commission is not neutral, or the other party is bent on rigging the elections.”

He further cited an instance from the 2020 elections and said, in most places, it was very shocking to witness that the NPP could get over 300 votes while the
NDC only had 3 votes, and it repeated on several occasions.

“We wondered because, at least, the NDC had nine executives in those polling stations, and securing only 3 votes could mean that even our own executives voted against us.”

He said this prompted the NDC to set up an investigative committee, and what they found out was that most of these unfortunate incidents occurred as a result of intimidation, inducement of officers so that people can do what they want, and in some places, it was the manipulation of the results and the Pink Sheet.

He said when we entertain all these acts as a democratic country, it undermines the democracy we want.

Source: Ghana Web

A 22-year-old driver’s mate, Owusu Michael, popularly known as Tupac, has been found dead in a gutter at Edwenease near Atimatim in the Afigya Kwabere South District of the Ashanti Region.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.

Residents suspect that the deceased was knocked down by a car and left to die in the gutter.

Speaking to a student journalist at OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies, Asonaba Kwadwo Wusu, Mr. Mustapha Seidu, who worked with the deceased, said he was informed about the tragedy after some residents discovered the body.

“I normally work with him, but he failed to show up for work today, so I had to find another driver’s mate. Only for me to be told that he has been killed,” Mr. Seidu said.

“I rushed to the scene and discovered that, indeed, my boy was gone. It’s very difficult now to understand what or who must have killed him, but I will leave that to the police.”

The Assembly Member for the area, Hon. Somiye Dai, suspects foul play.

According to him, he
believes the deceased was beaten and killed before being dumped in the gutter.

“After the police came over to do their preliminary investigations, I saw some marks and cuts around the body. I may not be a policeman, but I suspect he was beaten to death by some unknown assailants,” he said.

“Meanwhile, I would encourage residents and family to leave the investigations to the police in order to get the right information.”

The Assembly Member noted that police officers have reported to the scene and have commenced investigations.

Source: Ghana Web

An 18-year-old mother has attempted to kill her newborn baby because the baby was born without legs.

Grace Addobea was delivered successfully at home by a traditional midwife in their village, Twifo Bonsaho in the Central Region.

But the excitement and joy of her giving birth was cut short after it was noticed that the beautiful baby had no legs.

News of about the baby spread so fast like wildfire across the community which set tongues wagging and becoming the topic for discussion in the community, making the mother feel very uncomfortable.

According to the young mother, during her pregnancy, she received her antenatal care at Wassa Ateiku health center but she wasn’t told the baby had any deformity after several medical check ups.

In her 9th month when she attended antenatal care she was told that she did not have enough blood to ensure safe delivery so they referred her to Christian hospital popularly known as ‘church’ also at Wassa Ateiku where the doctor after medical assessment told her that the bab
y was coming with her buttocks so they have to perform a surgery to deliver the baby when her delivery time is due.

But she shockingly gave birth to a legless baby girl. The man who impregnated her, Paa Kwasi, subsequently deserted her and the baby.

Since then, the young mother has tried several times to kill the baby and herself because residents are talking evil about her and her family. But it took the interventions of her parents to stop her.

Addobea’s mother in-law Maame Effua Atta who should have served as a source of motivation to her also told her when she (Maame Effua Atta) visited them that if she was the one who delivered Addobea, she would have killed the baby on arrival.

Opanin Emmanuel Lartey, father of Grace Addobea in an interview with Kasapa News Yaw Boagyan made passionate appeal to NGOs, individuals, government, religious groups to come to their aid to ensure that this wonderful baby survives.

Source: Ghana Web

Commencement of the trial of the case in which a self-acclaimed businessman, Yahuza Osumanu, has been charged for robbing former 2nd Lady, Mrs Matilda Yaaba Amissah-Arthur will begin in the new legal year.

This was after the parties completed the Case Management Conference (CMC) on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

Justice Lydia Osei Marfo, the presiding judge following the conclusion of CMC, said the parties should reconvene on July 24, for trial dates to be taken for trial to begin in the 2024/2025 Legal year which starts from October this year.

‘CMC (Case Management Conference) is Completed,’ Justice Marfo said.

‘Except to say that as and when any needful disclosures should be made either side, leave will be granted whoever wishes to,’ the Court added.

The Presiding said, ‘We shall adjourn for pre-trial proceedings, that is when we will be agreeing to which particular time the trial will begin in the next Legal Year (2024/25).’

According to EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, the curren
t Legal Year will end on July 31, 2024, after which the Judiciary will embark on a two-month Legal Vacation from August 1 to September 30, 2024.

Witnesses

On June 6, the prosecution filed their third batch of disclosures, which included evidential documents they intend to rely on to prove their case.

Amanda Awadey, a State Attorney on that day told the Court presided over by Justice Lydia Osei Marfo that, ‘We are filing our third batch of disclosures this morning (Thursday).’

Asked by the Court what was contained in the latest disclosures filed, she said ‘Witness statements and some evidence we want to rely on.’

She added: ‘That should be the last batch so my lady can give us a date to ensure that counsel is served.’

Additionally, the state attorney said ‘We have 9 witnesses,’ to rely on when asked by the Court.

Background

Mrs. Amissah-Arthur is the wife of the late Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, who was Vice President between 2012 and 2016.

Yahuza Osumanu according to the prosecution succeeded in robbing
her of her various currencies including GHS3,000, USDS2,200, and Fifty Euros as well as a gold watch and necklace valued at GHS20,000 and GHS5000 respectively.

Yahuza who was slapped with 26 counts comprising 20 counts of robbery and six counts of money laundering, pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Apart from the former 2nd Lady, businessman David Adjaye and three others have all been robbed by the accused at gunpoint of their valuable properties at gunpoint.

The brief facts of the case stated that the complainants are Augustine Kwesi Okere, a businessman, Daniel Kwame Osafo and Tracy Osei-Hyeaman; husband and wife while Mrs Matilda Yaaba Amissah Arthur was the wife of the late Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and Margaret Alice Shaw, a 76-year-old woman residing at Alexander Nest, Ridge, Accra.

The Prosecution stated that the accused Yahuza Osumanu is a self-acclaimed businessman who resides at Pokuasc-ACP.

According to the Prosecution, between the second quarter of the year, 2023 and December 2
023, the Police CID received several complaints of residential robberies perpetuated by a single armed man around Airport, Cantonments, Tesano and Ridge.

It said, that on September 7, 2023, complainant, Augustine Okere reported to the Airport Police that at about 2:30 am that morning, his residence at Kaecla Court Apartments, Airport Residential Area was robbed.

It stated that, on receipt of the complaint, a team of police personnel from the Airport Police Division was dispatched to the crime scene.

Source: Ghana Web

Some concerned residents at Tema are calling on wildlife authorities to come to the rescue of three raccoons who were found in a container shipped to Ghana through the Tema Port.

In an interview with the media, the concerned residents explained that they discovered the three animals were not native to Ghana.

After researching online, they identified the animals as raccoons and realized that caring for them would be costly.

“We were unloading a container when we found these animals. It was immediately clear that they were not from Ghana. After checking online, we learned they were raccoons and that their diet is expensive. We are asking the relevant authorities to intervene so they do not perish,” a resident shared.

The residents believe the government should take advantage of the situation and provide appropriate housing and care for the animals, making Ghana one of the first countries in Africa to have raccoons.

Explaining possible reasons for how the raccoons ended up in Ghana, Dr. Theophilus Odoom, th
e Head of Laboratory at the Accra Veterinary Services Directorate, mentioned that the raccoons likely sought a warm place and accidentally ended up in the container.

He anticipates that the Wildlife Division of the Forestry Commission will evaluate the situation and ensure the raccoons’ well-being.

“Raccoons could potentially carry rabies. Our usual protocol involves collaborating with zoo veterinarians and keeping them in captivity for quarantine purposes,” Dr. Odoom stated in a report on Yen News.

Source: Ghana Web