Grandfather remanded for allegedly defiling the granddaughter
Accra (Greater Accra) 30 January 2002 - The Fast Track High Court trying the Quality Grain case today cited former President Jerry Rawlings for contempt for comments he made concerning the ongoing trial before the court. The judge, Mr Justice Kwame Afreh, however, fell short in his ruling of ordering the former President to appear before the court to retract those comments and apologise as earlier demanded by the prosecution.
Instead, Justice Afreh referred the issue to the Office of the Attorney-General for further action if it so desires. Reading his ruling, which lasted for 22 minutes, the Judge, said what he viewed as the most serious among the comments made by the former President was when he said judgement are being prepared for Judges to read, which meant that judges do not prepare their own judgements.
According to Justice Afreh, whether the ex-President meant his words or not, it constituted a serious slur on the integrity and reputation of the country’s judiciary. He noted that although, Flt-Lt Rawlings (rtd) has the right to criticise the Judiciary like any citizen, those comments went beyond the boundaries of fair comment.
He said the former President is not an ordinary Ghanaian and so having ruled the country for 20 years, he should have known better when he spoke about matters of legality. According to Justice Afreh, some members of the Judiciary were either appointed or promoted by Flt-Lt Rawlings during his rule and for him to have said the judgements were being written for judges to read was a serious issue.
The judge noted that as a former Head of State, supporters of Flt-Lt Rawlings might believe what he says. He said one might also want to know who wrote or has been writing those judgements to be read by judges? Justice Afreh noted that as a former President, Rawlings is expected to respect himself, and cautioned that the arm of the law is long and strong and capable of bringing any person to book.
He said, the ex-President is expected to respect and promote institutions including the Judiciary that he himself helped to build whiles in office. He added that the words of the ex-President were meant to politicise the trial and that of the Selormey case.
The judge told the court that he would not be influenced or imputed by pre-judgemental comments made by people in connection with the comments.
It is be recalled that the court slated on Tuesday to determine whether or not to invite the former President to appear before it in connection with the comments. The court fixed the date after hearing submission by the Deputy Attorney-General, Ms Gloria Akuffo, calling on it to invite the former President to retract offending statements he made in an interview he granted to Peace FM, JOY FM and Radio Gold, an Accra based private radio stations and aired last Tuesday.
Soon after the ruling this Tuesday, a defence counsel, Nana Adjei Ampofo appealed to the prosecution to allow the case to rest. He contended that it would be in the interest of national reconciliation if the Attorney General did not press any legal action. However, Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecution (DDP) told the court that the prosecution could not comment on the issue immediately. - The Evening News.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 January 2002 - Representatives at a workshop to gather and collate information to contribute to the universal action plan on the aged on Tuesday identified the absence of policies in Africa as the militating factor against the development of the aged in society.
The representatives from Ghana, the Gambia, Nigeria, Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa and Chad said interest groups that are involved with issues on the aged are faced with problems such as lack of resources, infrastructure and effects of the HIV/AIDS on families.
Mrs Cecilia Bannerman, Minister of Manpower Development and Employment, therefore, charged them to come out with strategies that would urge on the various governments to come out with policies on the aged.
The Centre for Social Policy Studies organised the three-day workshop for participants to review the draft United Nations Strategies for Action on Ageing and define practicable and feasible areas of action in response to ageing in Africa.
In Ghana, a draft policy is yet to go before parliament and cabinet for approval. Mrs Bannerman also underscored the fact that the ageing population is on the rise and said problems associated with this were inevitable.
She said the effects may not be felt in the near future but the continent must put in place the right measures and prepare to face them. In Africa, the older population is currently estimated at approximately 38 million and is projected to increase fivefold to 212 million by 2050.
In an interview with the GNA on the growth rate of the aged, Mrs Bannerman said preparedness to solve this problem would require countries to keep their aged active so they could contribute to the economy.
She said if this was not done, Africa would have a small proportion of the population working to feed and care for both the young and the old. Some of the measures should cover the health, psychological, social and cultural infrastructures. "We have to make the best of the highly skilled youth to meet the needs of the aged when the time comes."
"A Voice for Older People in Africa," a handout on the aged says, apart from the fast growth rate of the aged, older people in Africa face more challenges now than ever.
"Family structures are fundamentally changing. Poverty is increasing and few older people have any income security. Very few health services exist for older people and basic health services are often inaccessible as a result of increasing costs.
"The impact of HIV/AIDS is enormous, leaving older people as the carers of millions of orphans," the handout said. It also estimates that cases of abuse and neglect are increasing with little protection from legislation, while instability and conflict make difficult situations worse.
Mrs Bannerman said in some cases negative lives and changes in cultural practices have been imposed on the aged in Africa. "Some of them have psychologically accepted that they are witches," she said and described the situation as a very sad one.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 January 2002 - An Accra circuit tribunal on Tuesday adjourned to February 26 a case involving Tsatsu Tsikata, former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), charged with causing financial loss to the state through carelessness.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim granted the adjournment at the request of the defence counsel after it realised that prosecution was absent. At the last sitting on January 8, the court granted the prosecution three weeks to conduct further investigations into the case. The three-week period elapsed on Tuesday January 29.
When sitting resumed on Tuesday, the defence counsel, citing the absence of the prosecution, prayed the tribunal to grant four more weeks' adjournment by which prosecution might be ready. Tsikata, a lawyer, is facing charges of causing financial loss of about 2.2 billion cedis to the state, following forensic auditing of the GNPC.
He pleaded not guilty and is on 500 million cedis self-recognisance bail. Earlier, the tribunal was told that a forensic audit ordered by the government found that Tsikata had circumvented laid down corporate objectives of the GNPC.
He allegedly by-passed the Board of Directors of the Corporation and committed GNPC to guarantee a loan of 5.5 million French francs and another 1.4 million French francs with interest inclusive to Valley Farm, a private cocoa growing company of which GNPC held an initial share of 17.39 per cent.
The loan, totalling about 2.2 billion cedis was from the Caisse Francaise de Developpement, a French aid agency. Valley Farm was said to have used the loan to rehabilitate three cocoa farms located at Assin Manso in the Central Region, Dadieso and Nyakoman in the Western Region.
The Prosecution said Valley Farm went distressed and defaulted in repaying the loan, compelling Tsikata, without prior approval of the Board of Directors, to pay the loan as well as interest totalling 6,919,123 French francs out of GNPC funds.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 30 January 2002 - Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo, Attorney -General and Minister of Justice, has expressed concern about the increasingly large number of persons remanded in the country's prisons.
The development did not augur well for the quick dispensation of justice for a country like Ghana, which upheld the rule of law, Nana Akuffo-Addo told a meeting with High Court Judges, Chairmen of the Regional Public Tribunals, the Regional Police Commander and other Police officers at a durbar held with State Attorneys from the Northern Sector in Kumasi on Monday.
The Attorney -General reminded the public that a suspect irrespective of his position in society was presumed innocent until proved otherwise by a competent court of jurisdiction. This principle, he said, had been breached and attributed this partly to the long and winding processes of dealing with criminal cases.
Nana Akuffo-Addo noted that in most cases judges became frustrated when suspects were brought before them several times without any compelling evidence, and were left with no option but to set such persons free to the dissatisfaction of the public that might not understand court procedure.
He said there must be a reasonable duration for accused persons or suspects to be dealt with so that contending parties would be satisfied. Nana Akuffo-Addo, therefore, mentioned that it was incumbent on judges, the police, lawyers and the general public to assist in finding solutions to the delay in the delivery of justice.
He later presented each regional office of the Attorney -General's Department with a full set of the Ghana Law Report and promised to provide more materials.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 January 2002 - Mrs Theresa Kufuor, the First Lady, on Tuesday called on policy makers to ensure that the development needs of children are holistically addressed in building the human resource capacity base of the country.
“Development is a very important stage in every child and all efforts must be made to ensure that their basic needs are met for their survival". Mrs Kufuor, opening a two-day national workshop on "Early childhood care and development" in Accra, said there was the need to ensure that children are brought up in an environment that will enable them develop to the best".
The workshop would discuss policy issues relating to programming in terms of developmental needs of the child. She said parents' responsibility should not be limited to the cost of education but also respond to their social, guidance, emotional, psychological, maintenance, food, health and moral needs.
The First Lady noted that every child has the right to life, dignity, respect, leisure and liberty from their parents. She said parents needed to show more concern by spending quality time with the children, adding, "this will enable the children appreciate the great values their parents instilled in them when they are mature".
Mrs Kufuor expressed concern about some parents neglecting their children by exposing them to discrimination, violence, abuse, physical, moral hazards and oppression. She reminded parents that child neglect is a criminal offence and punishable by law which could lead to a fine of five million cedis or a term of one year imprisonment or both.
Ms Atawa Akyea, Acting Executive Director of the Ghana National Commission on Children (GNCC), said though much attention has not been given to children issues, there has been some modest progress in improving their well-being.
She said reduction of the infant and child mortality rates from 66 to 56 and 119 to 108 deaths per thousand live births from 1993 to 1998 respectively has been the most achievement of the commission due to the expanded immunisation programme.
She said Ghana's second report to the UN committee on the Rights of the Child would be submitted later this year. Ghana's first report on ensuring the rights of children to survival, development, protection and participation was submitted in 1995 and defended in 1997.
Ms. Akyea called for resource allocation for children's welfare and development that would give them a good foundation, "since that is the best investment any nation could make".
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 January 2002 - The Member of Parliament for Amansie West, Mr S.C. Buor-Karikari on Tuesday called on the government to enter into bilateral and multi-lateral agreements with her neighbouring countries to combat child trafficking.
He said Ghanaian border towns such as Elubo, Hamile, Aflao among others have been known for child trafficking and there was the need for the populace to be sensitises to report those traders involved in the various forms of the crime.
Mr Buor-Karikari said this in statement issued in Parliament on "Child trafficking in West Africa with particular reference to Ghana. He said the effects of child trafficking are that they are abused, exposed to hazardous working conditions, denied basic education, health care, adequate nutrition while their safety and security are at stake.
Mr Buor-Karikari said they often become victims of sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS and the practice also create a situation which adversely affects child development that makes them outcasts and some even join armed gangs.
He suggested that the government set up an integrated development programmes to discourage rural-urban drift, which is one of the major causes of the problem.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 30 January 2002 - Brigadier George Ayiku, General Officer Commanding Northern Command, has declared that the army would not shield Corporal Godwin Adekpui the soldier alleged to have assaulted some civilians and raped a young woman at Bawku during curfew hours, against criminal prosecution.
He said the Ghana Armed Forces had no place for indiscipline soldiers and mentioned that military laws and those of the country would be rigidly enforced at all times to ensure justice and fair play.
Brigadier Ayiku was addressing a press conference at the Command Headquarters in Kumasi on Monday, to throw light on how the case involving Corporal Adekpui was being handled.
He stated that the Military had done everything possible to co-operate with the police to dispose of the case expeditiously and that the Armed Forces remained committed to justice.
The General Officer Commanding said the delay in prosecuting Corporal Adekpui in a civil court was not caused by the military, pointing out that, following his arrest the police prepared a docket on the case.
He mentioned that a duplicate of the document was submitted to the Attorney -General for advice and was yet to be received. Brigaider Ayiku said rape; armed robbery and murder were criminal offences that by law could not be tried by the military.
He said apart from the alleged offences of assault and rape committed by, Corporal Adekpui the suspect had also breached the military code of service discipline. These included absenting himself without leave, going to town without authority, breaking curfew whilst not on duty and going to town in conflict area illegally.
For these offences, Corporal Adekpui would be tried by his Commanding Officer, Brigaider Ayiku said, adding, "this, however, is not prejudicial to any action to be taken by the police or civil authority".
Corporal Adekpui is currently being held by the military in the guardroom of his unit, the Airborne Force in Tamale, pending trial under the code of service discipline for the service-related offences and if found guilty would be punished. Brigadier Ayiku said the suspect would remain in custody in the unit and handed over to the police for civil trial as and when required.
Corporal Adekpui, who was part of the peacekeeping task force deployed in Bawku following the recent communal violence, was alleged to have assaulted some civilians and raped a young woman during curfew hours on December 31, 2001.
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Kumasi (Ashanti Region) 30 January 2002 - The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Narcotic Control Board, Mr Emmanuel Agyarko, has blamed the judiciary for the increase in illicit drug trafficking and substance abuse in the country. He alleged that none of the suspects arrested by the police and officials of the board in connection with various drug abuses last year were convicted by the courts.
Addressing the Ashanti regional House of Chiefs in Kumasi on Monday, Mr Agyarko who could not however, give the number of drug related cases sent to court last year, said some of the courts granted bail as low as four million cedis to suspected cocaine traffickers who were arrested at the airports with cocaine valued several billions of cedis.
He noted that while some of the cases "died" slowly, other suspects were clandestinely made to jump bail, adding that the "attitude of some of the judges often frustrated the efforts of the board in carrying out its mandate".
Mr Agyarko alleged that the board had written several memos and petitions to the Chief Justice and the Attorney-General on the issue but to no avail. Ghana was gradually being classified as one of the biggest transit points for narcotic drugs in the world, he observed and appealed to the chiefs to support the board in its efforts.
He observed that the social and economic implications in drug trafficking and illicit use were very enormous and hinted that 20 students drop out from the country's universities every year due to the substance abuse.
He said various methods and educational campaigns have been used, especially in the senior secondary schools and district assemblies to press home the dangers of the drug menace, but little had been achieved.
It is therefore necessary to involve chiefs who had unique positions in society to support the campaign. Mr Agyarko called on the chiefs to include drug abuse campaign education in their daily programmes to educate the people on the issue.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 30 January 2002 - The uncontrollable weeping of Tukui Kulekpeto, a 55-year old commercial driver, at an Aflao Circuit Court eventually won him his freedom.
Kulekpeto had been charged with stealing iron rods belonging to the Diamond Cement Company and he pleaded guilty with explanation. He said he was hired by two young men to convey the iron rods least suspecting that they were stolen items.
He said he ran away with the thieves on impulse when Security men of the company came towards them but as soon as he came to himself he returned to the scene of the crime and handed himself over to the Security men.
Discharging him, the presiding Judge Mr Francis Opoku said: "I have heard your explanation and I would advise you not to allow yourself to be used innocently this way next time. I acquit you, go home. Do not allow young men to drive you into crime at your age."
Kulekpeto, who apparently did not understand what the Judge said, continued to stand in the dock weeping and occasionally wiping his tears with the sleeves of his shirt until he was ushered out.
At about 4:30am on January 25, security men were attracted by the flash of a vehicle headlamp near the factory and rushed to the point where they saw three men running away leaving behind Peugeot Caravan, with registration number GR 435 D loaded with 44 pieces of iron rods.
A few minutes later, Kulekpeto handed himself over to the Security men and identified himself as the driver of the vehicle and he was subsequently handed over to the Police.
Kulekpeto maintained that he was only hired by the two unfamiliar men to convey the iron rods and that he least suspected that they were stolen items. The Prosecution said Kulekpeto told the Police that he had ran with those who hired him on impulse.
Earlier the court had sentenced John Venyezu Metenu, 28, a Togolese Welder and employee of company, to nine months' imprisonment with hard labour for stealing a packet of electrodes valued at 140,000 cedis.
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Hohoe (Volta Region) 30 January 2002 - Tourism has been identified as a major foreign exchange earner for Ghana and it is in this vein that some of the tourism attractions are being developed to acceptable and more dignifying standards.
Besides what could be described, as traditional attractions such as the forts and castles at Cape Coast, Elmina and elsewhere and the slave routes, there are other attractions scattered all over the country and the Hohoe District in the Volta Region has its own share.
The district covers the area of 1,172 square kilometres. It shares common border with the Republic of Togoland in the east, Kpando District in the west, Jasikan District in the northwest and Ho District in the south. The Hohoe District abounds in numerous waterfalls including the highest in West Africa. It has a monkey sanctuary, caves and the highest mountain in Ghana.
There are a number of waterfalls in the district that are opened to tourists including the 400-metre high Wli Waterfall, with seven-stepped cascade located on the outskirts of the Wli Township and believed to be the highest in West Africa.
The fall is surrounded by rugged cliffs that serve as habitat for species of fruit eating bats and beautiful breed of forest butterflies. The Tsatsadu falls, which the Catholic Church has adopted, is located at Alavanyo. A multi-million cedi infrastructure has been put up to serve as a prayer sanctuary.
The Logba Tota waterfalls is located at Logba-Tota, a picturesque village sitting on top of a mountain that offers panoramic views of the Volta Lake and its immediate environment.
The others are Tagbo falls at Liate-Wote and the Aflabo waterfalls at Leklebi-Agbesia. At Tafi Atome, a village 43 kilometres south of Hohoe; is the Monkey sanctuary. The monkeys at the sanctuary are believed to be messengers of the Great God of the people of Tafi.
The monkeys are believed to have protected them from calamities throughout their exodus from Assin in the Central Region to their present abode. According to Togbega Adza Kodadza IV, Paramount Chief of the Tafi Traditional Area, anyone who dared to challenge the mystical powers of the monkeys fell sick or died. He said no one had ever seen a dead monkey in the area.
There are lofty mountains sparsely located in the district, which contrast beautifully with low-lying evergreen land and valleys. There is the Akpafu Mountains on which Akpafu Todzi, a small settlement, is beautifully perched.
The place is noted for its temperate weather and neat surroundings. Along the southeastern border with the Ho District, through the northeastern border with the Republic of Togo, lies the eastern flank of the Akwapim-Togo Range known for their rich variety of flora and fauna.
With their pulsating interlocking uplands and captivating valleys, the range proudly hosts Ghana's highest peak Afadjato, located between Liati-Wote and Gbledi Gborgame.
The mountain is remarkably noted as the highest point in Ghana and spectacular tourism feature of the district. On top, after an-hour hike, the tourist is given a bird's eye view of the Volta Lake and its tributaries.
Near the Tota waterfalls are caves that served as strategic combat hideout for the militant ancestors. There are also several caves in the Likpe Traditional Area, which also served as hideout for their militant ancestors.
The Hohoe District Assembly is doing all it could to put in place information centres in all tourist attractions in the district; the assembly has also trained tour guides. Miss Immaculate Foli, one of the trained tour guides, told GNA that the tourist enjoyed their stay in all the tourist attractions in the district.
She said visitors are made to experience village life from living with a family especially at the Monkey sanctuary at Tafi Atome, where they share the exotic traditional culture.
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Accra (Greater Accra) 30 January 2002 - The Education Review Committee on Tuesday said it would be organising forums at regional and district levels to discuss various aspects of education as part of its efforts to find solutions to the problems facing the education system.
Apart from this, members of the committee would hold discussions on local FM stations as well as interview prominent people in the regions. Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, Chairman of the Committee, told a press conference to explain the committee's working strategies that the committee was divided into five groups to deal with various aspects and levels of education.
These were Pre-school/Basic, Secondary/Technical/Vocational, Tertiary, Management and Finance and Teacher Education. President John Agyekum Kufuor inaugurated the committee on January 17 to review the country's education system. The 29-member committee has four months to submit its report.
It would re-examine the goals and philosophy of the present education system with the view to ensuring their relevance to the development of human resources for the nation.
Prof Anamuah-Mensah said during their regional tours, committee members would visit at least one endowed and one deprived district in each region to acquaint themselves with the problems on the ground. He, therefore, urged the public to support the committee's work by submitting memoranda and participate actively in the regional and district forums.
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Aflao (Volta Region) 30 January 2002 - An Aflao Circuit Court has remanded Issah Norglo, an 82 year-old farmer of Ave-Afiadenyigba in the Akatsi District, in prison custody for allegedly defiling his granddaughter of five years.
Norglo pleaded not guilty and would re-appear on February 4. The court, presided over by Mr Francis Opoku heard that that the complainant, who is the grandmother of the victim, lives in the same vicinity with the accused person at Ave-Afiadenyigba.
At about 4:30pm on January 23, the victim's grandmother saw her walking awkwardly out of Norgli's room and when questioned she alleged that the accused had defiled her.
The Prosecution said Norglo stated in his caution statement that the victim came to his room and sat on his laps and started playing with his manhood, which got erected and he subsequently defiled her.
A medical report from the Saint Anthony's Hospital at Dzodze did not confirm the allegation against Norglo.
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