GRi in Court News
Ghana 23 - 05 - 2001
PNC
sues parliamentary candidate
Commission on Accra Sports Stadium
Disaster summons eight witnesses
Driver
jailed for stealing goats
Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
Mr Ambrose
Derry, Counsel for ex-Youth and Sports Minister, Mallam Yusuf Isa, told the
Accra Fast Track Court on Tuesday that the prosecution has failed to establish
a case against his client and he intends to call for his client's acquittal.
He,
therefore, prayed the court for a short adjournment to get the records of
proceedings to assist him to make his submission of no case.
Mr Derry
made the request when the prosecution closed its case on Tuesday.
The court
ordered its clerks to make available copies of the record of proceedings to
defence counsel by the close of the day and adjourned sitting until Wednesday.
Mallam Isa
who is charged with stealing 46,000 dollars and fraudulently causing financial
loss to the State has pleaded not guilty. He is on a 500-million cedi bail.
The
prosecution called 11 witnesses including police officers and officials of the
Ghana Football Association (GFA) and Ministry of Youth and Sports.
At
Tuesday's sitting Mr Derry submitted that the loss of the money meant as
winning bonus for the Black Stars and imprest for officials on the trip was a
calculated attempt to ditch his client.
He said
even before the Black Stars travelled to Sudan for the World Cup qualifier,
there was bad blood between him and certain key officials of the GFA and the
Ministry.
He named
the officials as Mr Worlanyo Agra, General Secretary of the GFA, Mr James Tigah
Principal Accountant and Mr Dan Piimi, Acting Chief Director both of the
Ministry.
Mr Derry,
who was cross-examining Detective Chief Inspector of Police Hope Kwaku Nyadi, a
prosecution witness, asked him whether Mallam Isa had good working relationship
with his subordinates.
Witness
said from his investigation, he realised that the relationship was a good one
and added that even if it was otherwise, it could be personal differences,
which could have been resolved administratively.
Mr Derry
suggested to witness that before the Sudan trip, Mallam Isa had disagreements
with Agra because the budget he (Agra) had submitted for the match was on the
high side.
When
counsel then asked Inspector Nyadi whether this could be personal or official,
he replied: "If this is not a mere allegation, then it is official."
Mr Derry
said the ex-minister disagreed with Dan Piimi over a 450 million-cedi bill for
footballs purchased from Ashtaed, owned by Mr Kojo Bonsu who had his eyes on
the GFA chairmanship. It was later found out that there were only three balls
in the stores and asked how this could be personal and not official.
Counsel
said those present when the ex-minister was putting the money in the
controversial green suitcase were Mr Agra, Mr Alex Asante, Protocol Officer of
the GFA, Alhassan, Mallam Isa's personal friend and his bodyguard.
However,
the Chief Inspector said, it was only Alhassan and the bodyguard who were
present.
Counsel
said since Chief Inspector Nyadi was not there when the money was put into the
suitcase, he could not say whether or not only the two officials were present.
Mr Nyadi
said his investigation revealed that the green suitcase together with winter
clothes for the players in a box were checked in at the Kotoka International
Airport for Sudan.
Asked by Mr
Derry whether or not he found out why the winter clothes arrived in Sudan
without the green suitcase, Mr Nyadi replied in the negative.
When Mr
Derry put it to the investigator that he was only trying to hold his client
responsible for the missing 46,000 dollars, he replied: "No, we don't do
investigations like that. I did a thorough investigation."
On the
2,500 pounds sterling Mallam Isa said was given to him by his wife for
shopping, Mr Nyadi contradicted himself when he admitted that he did not find
the money.
Mr Nyadi on
Monday said he found the money together with an audit report and 2,000 cedis
when a search was conducted in the ex-minister's residence.
Counsel
said when the "irregular form" was filled in Khartoum over the
missing green suitcase, Mallam Isa was not present and could not have told the
airline officials what it contained.
Mr Nyadi,
however, said the personal effects were stated by Mr Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, GFA Vice Chairman, on the instruction
of Mallam Isa.
The Court
went on a 15-minute recess to enable it to deliberate on a videotape tendered
in evidence by Detective Sergeant Thomas Freeman Asante of the Forensic Unit of
the police headquarters.
When it
reconvened, Justice Julius Ansah announced that due to the delicate nature of
the videotape, the court would sit in camera on it.
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Sunyani
(Eastern Region) 23 May 2011
The
People's National Convention (PNC) has initiated action at the Sunyani High
Court to claim 10.2 million cedis in special damages and general damages
against Mr. Moses Owusu Yeboah a chemical seller for fraudulent
misrepresentation.
Mr. Yeboah
was the PNC Parliamentary Candidate for Sunyani East in the 2000 general
election but defected to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) a few days to
the voting day.
In its
statement of claim filed by its counsel Mr Gabriel Pwamang, the PNC said it
paid the registration fee of 200,000 cedis for the respondent to contest the
election on its ticket and advanced monies totaling four million cedis to him
for his campaign programmes.
In
addition, the party supplied campaign materials including paraphernalia worth
six million cedis, however, after collecting these items, party members in the
Region could not trace the respondent.
The PNC
said it later discovered that the defendant did not use the items supplied to
enhance its chances in the elections. Instead, he campaigned for the NDC and
its presidential candidate Professor John Atta Mills.
The PNC
said a few days to the December 7 elections, the respondent published in the
media that he had defected to join the NDC and castigated the PNC to the voting
public.
By his
conduct, the party said the respondent caused the loss of resources and damaged
its political image, which adversely affected its chances in the elections.
In his
statement of defence and counter claim, filed at the court on Monday, the
respondent denied the allegations.
He is
claiming general damages for plaintiff's failure to honour its promises, which
he said, has resulted in serious financial predicaments to him.
The case
was adjourned to June 12.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 23 May 2001
The
Commission on the Accra Sports Stadium Disaster has asked eight witnesses to
appear before it on Wednesday.
They are Mr
Ernest Quarshie of the National Sports Council (NCS), Mr Baba Kpabiba of the
Accra Sports Stadium, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations), Police
Headquarters and Chief Superintendent of Police Nana Koranteng-Mintah.
The rest
are Assistant Superintendents John Naami, B.B. Bakomora, Frank Awu and E.
Faaakye Kumi.
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Kade
(Eastern Region) 23 May 2001
A
28-year-old housewife, Yaa Yaago, accused of the murder of her husband was on
Monday remanded in prison custody for three weeks by the Kade Community
Tribunal.
Yaago,
whose plea was not taken, is on a provisional charge for murdering Kwabena
Acquah, 36.
Prosecuting,
Police Chief Inspector Samuel Atidzon told the tribunal, chaired by Mr Oppong
Quao that on May 14, a misunderstanding between the couple over Acquah's
alleged extra marital affair resulted in a quarrel.
Yaago, the
prosecutor said, picked a pestle intending to hit Acquah but was prevented by
some people.
Moments later,
while Acquah was explaining the cause of the misunderstanding to some friends,
the accused hit him in the forehead with a stick knocking him down unconscious.
Chief
Inspector Atidzon said in the midst of the confusion, Yaago bolted, apparently
frightened by what she had done.
Her husband
was taken to hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The
prosecutor said a relative of the accused took her to the Takrowase Police
Station but she had to be whisked away to the District Police Headquarters at
Akwatia that same night to prevent a possible attack by an angry mob demanding
her release to them.
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Asamankese
(Eastern Region) 23 May 2001
The
Asamankese circuit court on Monday sentenced Kofi Quansah, a 26-year-old taxi
driver to three years' imprisonment in hard labour for stealing three goats and
five sheep.
He pleaded
guilty.
The court
presided over by Mr S.S. Appiah heard that on May 17, police on patrol duties
stopped Quansah at Obuom on the Adeiso-Nsawam road but he refused to stop.
The
policemen chased his taxicab and on reaching Adjor village the accused and
three others now at large abandoned the vehicle and fled to the bush.
The police
towed the taxi loaded with the animals to the police station and the next day
Quansah and his car owner lodged a complaint to the police that their taxi had
been stolen by armed robbers.
When
Quansah was interrogated he confessed to stealing the animals to sell to chop
bar operators in Accra.
The court
ordered that if the owners of the animals fail to claim them the Police should
sell them and pay the proceeds into government chest.
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