A driver identified as Bonsu Osei has reportedly killed a policeman who ordered him to come down from his vehicle for parking at an authorized space and obstructing other road users at the Madina Zongo Junction.

Below is the blow-by-blow account of the incident as captured in a statement issued by Accra Regional Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Afia Tenge:

On 28-02-2020 at about 9:00am driver Bonsu Osei was driving Ford Transit bus NO GR4880-20 with two persons on board from Madina heading towards bawaleshie direction along UPSA - bawaleshie road.

On reaching a section of the road in front of the Trinity theological seminary, he was intercepted by G/SGT Moses Appiah and one other officer of Madina MTTD for soliciting for passengers, unauthorized parking and obstruction of other road users at the zongo junction, where they were being pursued.

After he was intercepted SGT. Moses Appiah stood in front of the vehicle and ordered him to come down from the vehicle.

Without any provocation the driver became furious and ran his vehicle over the police officer and he was trapped under the vehicle. He then dragged the police officer on the ground to a distance about 54.50metres injuring him severely. That the suspected driver fled the scene with his vehicle and abandoned the vehicle and bolted.

The police officer who sustained various degrees of injuries was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital for treatment by good Samaritan, but he died shortly on arrival at the hospital.Body of the deceased now deposited at the police hospital mortuary for preservation and autopsy.

The mate was later arrested by some members of the public and brought to the police station but the driver is still on the run. Vehicle impounded at the station.

Alleged thief beaten to death by angry mob in Sunyani

A 33-year-old man has apparently been beaten to death by an angry mob in Sunyani this Thursday morning."This warning comes after a 33-year-old man was beaten to death during the early hours of Thursday morning, 21 March 2019. The community alleged that the suspected thief was found inside a student hostel with one other member tying to steal their belongings. They said this action has been going on for a long time. Some brave neighbors persuaded them and one was able to escape, but fortunately for the other he was caught and tied up to a pole. He was severely beaten and died on the spot.

"Responsible citizens report crime and do not carry out their own punishment no matter how angry they may be said by Police".

General News of Monday, 18 February 2019

Source: GHANAsoccernet.com

Judge rules Anas must defend himself in court, Sannie Daara secures knock-out victory

A judge has ruled that Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI must defend themselves in court over the human rights case brought against them by Ibrahim Sannie Daara after they sought to dodge the case by asking a lawyer to answer to the lawsuit on their behalf.

The judge His Lordship Mr Justice Nicholas Abodakpi slammed Anas’defence of his life being in danger as the reason for seeking to evade court scrutiny as ‘incompetent and inadmissible’ and ordered that them to file a fresh Affidavit In Answer within 14 days.

This is a major first victory for Sannie Daara over Anas after his lawyer Dr. Dominic Ayine, powerfully argued that the defendants must be made to swear to the affidavit to avoid dodging the consequences of their work against the Ghana FA Communications Director.

The plan to avoid appearing in court was hatched by Anas’ lawyer Kissi Agyerbeng but Dominic Ayine floored him with three superior arguments which was upheld by the judge His Lordship Mr Justice Nicholas Abodakpi.

The Human Rights Fast-track court subsequently ruled in favour of Sannie Daara by striking out the affidavit of the lawyer Odei Krow, who answered on behalf of the defendants, and asked Anas and Tiger Eye to swear to a new Affidavit in Answer by themselves.

Anas and his Tiger Eye team were seeking to avoid direct scrutiny in court to answer in the human rights case brought by Sannie Daara over the No 12 investigation that claimed that: ‘Sannie Daara was bribed by Tiger to influence the selection of a player into the national team. He made a colleague accept it on his behalf’.

The sub-titles and voice-overs by Anas and his Tiger Eye team on the documentary made the claim even though the video itself showed Sannie Daara insisting ‘players only gain call-ups to national teams through their good performances’, drawing massive applause from the audience when the documentary was shown in cinemas but the targeted editing by Anas and his team sought to damage his reputation.

Sannie Daara condemned the documentary as ‘crude work with a pre-determined agenda’ insisting ‘I never asked any colleague of mine to accept anything on my behalf as the video showed, did not solicit for or accept any bribe, did not meet them with any colleague of mine and the documentary was filled with a pack of calculated lies to assuage those who sent them.’

He subsequently slapped Anas with two lawsuits - the first one being the enforcement of his human rights while the second is a $6m defamation of character legal action.

Lawyer Dominic Ayine told the court to that the tactic used by Anas to avoid appearing in court “is a grand scheme designed by the 1st and 2nd respondents to shield themselves from public scrutiny to enable them remain anonymous so as to continue their dastardly acts against unsuspecting individuals in society. There is no public interest justification for the unavailability of the 1st and 2nd respondents to openly and directly to provide testimony in court and be cross examined.”

Ayine, who is a former deputy Attorney General of Ghana, argued that the ploy by Anas and his Tiger Eye team, ‘offends the hearsay rule under the Evidence Act 1975 (NRCD 323)’.

He added that: ‘Secondly in light of the fact that the instant Application is brought pursuant to Article 33 of the Constitution and therefore relates to a substantive as opposed to an interlocutory matter, the Affidavit in Answer contravenes Oder 20, Rule 8 (1) of the High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules.

“Finally, the affidavit in Answer offends Rule 7 (2) of the Legal Profession (Professional Conduct and Etiquette Rules, 1969 (LI 613) which provides, with exceptions, against lawyers appearing as witnesses for their clients.”

The Accra Human Rights Court presided over His Lordship Justice Abodakpi struck out the affidavit sworn by Mr Krow a lawyer in the law office of Cromwell Gray which was filed in opposition to one filed by Sannie Daara in the of IBRAHIM SANNIE DAARA v ANAS AREMEYAW ANAS & TIGER EYE PI.

Sannie Daara had invoked the jurisdiction of the High Court for the enforcement of his human rights. In the affidavit accompanying the application he swore to an affidavit adducing the supporting facts as his grounds.

In response to the claim, neither Tiger Eye PI nor Anas Aremeyaw Anas found it expedient to respond by swearing an affidavit in opposition as required by law.

Instead Mr Odei Krow a lawyer in the Law office of Cromwell Gray solicitors of Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye PI deposed, in an affidavit in opposition to facts that he was neither privy to nor had first-hand knowledge of the documentary.

This was considered by the court to have been done in contravention of the High Court (Civil Procedure) rules. The High Court therefore struck out the said affidavit as being offensive to the court rules and ordered the Defendants to ensure that parties to the suit or persons with first-hand information or knowledge of the facts swear to the affidavits NOT a defense lawyer.

This ruling is a major blow to Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger who had always found solace in hiding behind pseudo defendants to find their cases in court.

Since the hearing of this case started in court he has failed to make a single appearance in court and given frivolous excuses for fear of his life for his absence.

 

General News of Thursday, 18 October 2018

Source: citinewsroom.com

Japekrom residents attacked by snipers in Drobo; 1 killed, 15 injured

A 42-year old native of Japekrom and a father of five in the Jaman South District of the Brong Ahafo Region, Wofa Sina Atta, has been killed by gunmen believed to be from Drobo, a rival community.

The deceased, who is well-known as the Mbrantehene (Youth Leader) of Japekrom, was among those leading the townsfolk including chiefs, as part of activities marking their Munufie Festival when the shooting took place on Wednesday afternoon.

About fifteen other natives of the town have also been injured in what appears to be an attack by snipers who were hiding in a storey-building, believed to be the Palace of the Drobo Chief, according to Police in the region.

Japekrom and Drobo, both twin towns, are said to have a long history of rivalry over land.

Narrating the incident to Citi News, Brong Ahafo Regional Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Inspector Augustine Kingsley Oppong, said natives of Japekrom as part of their festival, had visited a Crocodile River at Mpuasu, to perform some rituals.

“According to them [Japekrom natives], it’s their spiritual River and they had to go and have a spiritual bath. And the same tradition also goes that when they’re coming back from the River they should walk. So gathering people in a bus from Japekrom to the Mpuaso area and coming to their town, on reaching a section of the road in front of the Drobo Palace, they got down from their vehicle and were about to walk. Ahead of them, they saw a certain barrier. For that matter they were moving in convoy; they reached there and there was an attack from a storey-building which is the palace of Drobo.”

“From the shooting that came from the top of the storey-building, we’ve gotten about fifteen victims so far; and one has been pronounced dead. The name of the deceased is Wofa Sina Atta, 42 years, who’s said to be the Mbrantehene (Youth Leader) of Japekrom.”

He says investigations have immediately commenced into the incident to ensure that the culprits are arrested and brought to book.

“We’ve put our intelligence on the ground, and we believe that we will be able to arrest those who committed this heinous offence.”

In the meantime, he says several police officers and military personnel have been dispatched to the area to ensure law and order and to avert reprisal attacks.

“We’ve galvanized about 60 men to go and augment the men who were on the ground because of the festival. So I can tell you that for now calm is returning to the area. I am sure that we will be able to cool the situation because those who planned and committed this offense are not for now within the vicinity. So the Berekum Police and those brought from Sunyani to the area are going to keep the clam with the SWAT team who were also called from Atebubu to come and support.”

Eyewitness account

Meanwhile, a native of Japekrom, Alhaji Amadu Osman Rafat, who survived the attack, told citinewsroom.com that the injured persons could not be treated at the Drobo Government Hospital which is closer, for fear of their attackers.

As a result, they had to be driven for about one hour to a Hospital in Sampa. He thus fears the death toll may rise.

He described the experience as a “war zone”, saying he was yet to locate some of his family members, as virtually all the residents of the town had run for their lives.

He added that the entire town is in a state of shock and fear, although military personnel and police officers have stormed the area.

He however wondered how some police officers, who had led them to the River, were suddenly nowhere to be found during the shooting.

Ruling on disputed land

In 2015, the legal tussle over land ownership between the two towns is said to have been settled at the court and ruled in favour of Japekrom.

But it appears natives of Drobo, which is much bigger than Japekrom, have not come to terms with the ruling of the court.

It is however unclear whether this attack is linked to that rivalry.

 

General News of Sunday, 16 September 2018

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Former UBS rogue trader Adoboli to be deported Tuesday

The lawyer of Kweku Adoboli, a former UBS banker convicted for causing the biggest trading loss in British banking history will on Monday make a final attempt to prevent his imminent deportation a day later by filing for a judicial review.

Adoboli's solicitor Jacqueline McKenzie told reporters at a press conference Thursday that her client is due to be deported by charter flight on Tuesday (September 18) to his native Ghana.

This follows the rejection of his latest appeal by the British government to stay in the country despite his fraud conviction.

Adoboli, 38, had been held at Dungaval detention centre in Scotland since September 3 but he has been moved to a Heathrow detention centre as the Home Office push ahead with deportation plans.

She argued that her client who has lived since he was 12 is reformed and now uses his business acumen to help young black men set up businesses through an organisation called Bigger.

Arguing for Adoboli's imminent deportation to be reconsidered in the context of the Windrush scandal she said her client had lived most of his life in the United Kingdom and does not know much about Ghana.

"Nobody can ever argue that, that is humanity. To pick people up and send them to countries that they barely know, and in the cases that I've come across, didn't know at all, didn't speak the language.

"I mean Kweku doesn't even speak his native languages in the way that he would be required to. He has some knowledge of them, but not in the way he would be required to were he to try and work in Ghana. And the Home Office says, that, you know business is conducted in English in Ghana, but at the same time the Home Office says that anybody from Ghana requiring a visa to come to the UK must prove they can speak English, so they can't have it both ways".

Background

Adoboli joined UBS's London office as a graduate trainee in September 2006. After working for two years as a trading analyst in the bank's back office, he was promoted to a Delta One trading desk.

In 2008, he became a director on the ETF desk, and by 2010, he was promoted to director, with a total annual salary of almost £200,000.

Beginning in 2008, Adoboli started using the bank's money for unauthorised trades. He entered false information into UBS's computers to hide the risky trades he was making.

He exceeded the bank's per-employee daily trading limit of US$100 million and failed to hedge his trades against risk.

He also used his personal funds on two spread betting accounts, IG Index and City Index, where he lost around £100,000. In mid-2011, UBS launched an internal investigation into Adoboli's trades.

On 14 September 2011, Adoboli wrote an e-mail to his manager admitting to booking false trades. His trades cost the bank $2 billion (£1.3 billion) and wiped off $4.5 billion (£2.7 billion) from its share price. The trading losses he incurred while trading for his bank were the largest unauthorised trading losses in British history.

Charges and conviction

On 15 September 2011, Adoboli was arrested by City of London Police. He was charged with two counts of fraud by abuse of position and four counts of false accounting.

He was in prison on remand until 8 June 2012, when he was granted bail subject to being electronically tagged and placed under curfew at a friend’s house. On the morning of 20 November 2012, a jury at Southwark Crown Court unanimously found Adoboli guilty on one count of fraud. Later the same day, after receiving an instruction allowing for a majority decision with a single vote against, the jury found him guilty of a second count of fraud. The jury also found him not guilty on the four false accounting charges.[7][8] He was sentenced to seven years in prison.

The City of London Police said: "This was the UK's biggest fraud, committed by one of the most sophisticated fraudsters the City of London Police has ever come across."

Adoboli was incarcerated at Verne Prison in Dorset, Ford Prison in West Sussex and Maidstone Prison in Kent. He was released in June 2015.

 

General News of Wednesday, 12 September 2018

Source: ghpage.com

Boy who failed to get SHS placement commits suicide

A 16-year-old boy identified as Daniel Mensah, who sat for the 2018 Basic Education Certificate Examination and got aggregate 47, has committed suicide in Brenuakyim, a town at Tarkwa in the Western region.

The decease hanged himself after he failed to get a placement to any of his selected Senior High Schools after the placement was released.

Daniel who although failed his BECE exams, he was hopeful of getting a placement in an SHS so he could continue with his education- a dream which failed to come true leading him to take his own life.

Uncle of the deceased, Ebo Ayitey in an interview on Adom News said, Daniel before killing himself left a suicide note for his parents urging them not to think about him anymore.

“I can’t stay on this earth anymore because I did not get school,” the suicide note read.

 

Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 11 September 2018

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Three suspected armed robbers arrested on Tamale-Fulfulso road

The 'Operation Calm Life' high way patrol team plying the Sawla-Damongo-Fulfulso has arrested three suspected armed robbers on the Tamale-Fulfulso road Sunday afternoon.

The robbers were arrested few miles away from Janikura in the Central Gonja District of the Northern region after they attempted to escape from police raid.

The robbers; Galadima Umar,Adam Ibrahim and Madam Umar, all in their 30's and identified to be Fulanis, were spotted on motorcycles by the patrol team around Junction. One of them was holding an AK-47 rifle and when the police attempted to stop them, they fled off on their motorcycles towards Busunu along the Tamale-Damongo road.

The patrol team pursued them in a wild race and finally apprehended them some few miles away from Janikura, a community were most the robbery cases have been recorded in recent times.

The robber wielding the AK-47 riffle allegedly threw it into a near by bush whilst they were being pursued by the police before the apprehension.

The robbers believed to be having other accomplices are currently in police custody at the West Gonja Police Command assisting the police with investigation.

Information gathered by the Northern regional correspondent of Ghanaweb from the PR Department of the Northern Regional Police Command indicates that, further inquiry is to be conducted into the matter.

Ever since the arrest of the culprits which has since become topical on the only local radio station in the District, Radio PAD, not only have residents gathered at the police station to catch a glimpse of the suspects but have taken keen interest in the case.



Many have called for an immediate execution of the culprits if found guilty to serve as a deterrent to others.

They said the armed robbers have tormented their lives for far too long, considering the many recorded cases of armed robbery within the area in recent times leading to untimely lost of lives and properties. "Enough is enough,"in the lamentations of many.

Following the upsurge in armed robbery cases, the West Gonja District Assembly had adopted a number of measures to clampdown on the menace.

At the just ended second ordinary meeting of the assembly, the DCE, Hon. Saaed Muhazu Jibreal disclosed that, about five people(traders) were injured through gun shots by robbers and one of them, a 21-year old female student died as a result.



The incident he said occurred between Janikura and Kojope on Monday 27th August, 2018, at about 6:00pm when the traders were returning from Buipe market.

After a series of DISEC meeting, they had agreed to reposition the patrol team along the Busunu-Kojope stretch of the road and to give escort to vehicles from Sori number 2 and Sawla on Market days.

Among other things, the Executive Committee had recommended that management should support the police to deal with all reckless riders of motorbikes in the District and that an interface meeting between Fulani herds, Chiefs, Crop Farmers, Livestock Farmers and Cattle Owners on the effects of cattle destruction on crops should be held.

Most of the armed robbery cases are noted to occur on market days in areas such as Sori number 1&2 along the Buipe road,Sawla road and Janikura along the Damongo-Tamale road.

 

General News of Friday, 7 September 2018

Source: Graphic.com.gh

Anas exposes international child trafficking ring in Ghana

Investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, has released a documentary on the increasing numbers of child trafficking in Ghana.

The feature project, christened "Chained by Begging" is a collaboration between Anas and OAfrica, a child support organisation.

The documentary exposes the phenomenon of how child begging is more than just children asking for money on the streets but how children are trafficked by adults and used for business purposes.

In “Chained by Begging”, Anas Aremeyaw Anas demonstrates that the recent increase in child beggars can in some cases be linked to cross-border
child trafficking.

According to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and section 87 (1-2) of the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), child begging is child abuse and also prohibited by law.

It is considered as separation from family and exploitative child labour.

A statement released by OAfrica on the documentary said child begging is one of the worst forms of child labour which keeps children out of school.

It also separates children from their families while exposing them to hazardous living conditions and dangers such as rape, ill health and motor
accidents, it added.

"In seeking a holistic approach to dealing with this complex trans-border situation, we will need to involve Immigration, Social Welfare, the various Ministries and Embassies and the public,. The public are urged to report all children on the street and to stop giving to child beggars. We call for police and law enforcement agencies to arrest the traffickers," it added.

"Giving child beggars money does not help the children because the money goes to their “masters” and does not serve the wellbeing of these vulnerable and innocent children. In fact, it only makes the industry bigger with more street hildren and more attractive and lucrative for traffickers. If we want to STOP child begging in Ghana then we have to STOP giving money to the children on the street. This will help prevent additional children being recruited as child beggars.

With funding support from the European Union, OAfrica in collaboration with Tiger Eye PI and The Livingstone Foundation calls on us all to help stop child begging.

Below is a copy of the full statement released by OAfrica

In “Chained by Begging” : Anas exposes an international child trafficking ring With the release of “Chained by Begging”, Anas Aremeyaw Anas has demonstrated that the recent increase in child beggars can in some cases be linked to cross-border child trafficking.

According to the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child and section 87 (1-2) of the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560) child begging is child abuse and also prohibited by law in Ghana, as is trafficking, separation from family and exploitative child labour.

Child begging is one of the worst forms of child labour which keeps children out of school.

It also separates children from their families while exposing them to hazardous living conditions and dangers such as rape, ill health and motor
accidents.

In seeking a holistic approach to dealing with this complex trans-border situation we will need to involve Immigration, Social Welfare, the various Ministries and Embassies and the public. The public are urged to report all children on the street and to stop giving to child beggars. We call for police and law enforcement agencies to arrest the traffickers.

Giving child beggars money does not help the children because the money goes to their “masters” and does not serve the wellbeing of these vulnerable and innocent children. In fact, it only makes the industry bigger with more street children and more attractive and lucrative for traffickers. If we want to STOP child begging in Ghana then we have to STOP giving money to the children on the street.

This will help prevent additional children being recruited as child beggars.

With funding support from the European Union, OAfrica in collaboration with Tiger Eye PI and The Livingstone Foundation calls on us all to help stop child begging.

We are urging the public to be committed to the #KidsOutFuture “3Rs”:

• React: to children begging on the street. It is a worrying situation to see innocent children on the streets begging. It is an abuse of the child so please do not ignore it.

• Record: by taking a photo or make a note of the location at which you saw the child begging taking place.

• Report: to the nearest policeman or police station the incidence. You can follow up on your reported cases to ensure has been attended to.

Whom do I report child beggars to? DDOVSU, AMA, TRAFFIC POLICE or DSW

 

Crime & Punishment of Thursday, 6 September 2018

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Chinese manager stabs Ghanaian teenage staff

A Chinese Manager of plastic manufacturing firm in Kumasi and his assistant have been arrested for stabbing a Ghanaian worker.

Peter Frimpong, a factory hand was stabbed three times at the neck back and palm over laxity at work.

Liu Zhen Zhong 32, the manager of the enterprise which recycles plastics into polythelene bags at Fabi in Kumasi is alleged to have stabbed the 19 year old over why he was sitting idle at work.

His assistant Liu Wan 34 was also arrested.

The two have since been transferred from the KATH police post to the Asokwa Divisional Police headquarters.

Eye witnesses say the Chinese Manager got angry and pushed the 19 year old worker after he was found sitting idle. It resulted in a heated verbal exchange and physical confrontation leading to the stabbing.

Police have taken their statements pending investigations.

General News of Thursday, 6 September 2018

Source: Myjoyonline.com

Teacher 'fingers' 9-year-old pupil who now struggles to walk

A nine-year-old girl in the Central regional town of Kasoa, is struggling to walk after she was alleged to have been sexually assaulted by her teacher.

The teacher is said to have inserted his fingers into the vagina of the Primary Two pupil after offering to teach her what she had missed when she reported late to vacation classes.

Unknown to the poor girl, the teacher had an agenda. She recounts that the teacher asked all the other pupils in the class to go home so he could use the classroom.

Even a protest from the girl for her friend to be allowed to stay while she was taught, was rejected by the teacher.

"When I started writing, he came closer and rubbed his hands in my head and said my father has asked him to provide all my needs,” she told Joy News Maxwell Agbabga.

She continued that "he put me on one of the tables and started inserting his fingers into my genitals. It was painful, I started struggling with him.”

During the sexual act, however, the victim in her attempt to flee, fell off the table and hit her pelvis on another table in the classroom.

She managed to run away but could not tell her mother or anyone in her family about her ordeal.

Her grandfather told Maxwell the suspect confessed to the crime and gave them ¢50 to cater for the girl but denied the allegation when it was reported to the police.

Joy News is uncertain if the fall is the cause of the pain or the alleged act.

 General News of Thursday, 6 September 2018

Source: classfmonline.com

KNUST student found dead on campus

A male second-year Business Administration student of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been found dead in his room at the Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Hostel also known as the Student Representative Council (SRC) Hostel.

Confirming the incident to Class FM, KNUST’s University Relations Officer (URO), Kwame Yeboah Junior, said the cause of the student’s death is not immediately known, but added that the school authorities do not suspect “foul play”.

The deceased, an affiliate of the University Hall (Katanga) was the first to be given a key to a room which accommodates four people.

Other occupants who needed access to the room could not find the key but realised the door to the room had been locked from inside.

The lifeless body was found after some students, with the help of campus security, broke the door to the room on Tuesday, 4 September 2018.

The body of the deceased has been deposited at the morgue of the KNUST Hospital, for autopsy

Imoro Abdul Rahman, 25, and Mubarik Abu, 23, who were arrested by the Tamale Police Command for attacking and robbing two ladies have been sentenced to 25 years in prison in hard labour by the Tamale Circuit Court presided over by Twumasi Appiah.

Imoro Abdul Rahman was charged with conspiracy to commit crime (count one), robbery (count two), and causing unlawful harm (count three). He was sentenced to 15 years on count one, 15 years on count two and 5 years on count three. The sentences are supposed to run concurrently.

Also, Mubarik Abu was charged with conspiracy to commit crime (count one) and robbery (count two). He was sentenced to 10 years on count one and 10 years on count two. The sentences are supposed to run concurrently. And they pleaded guilty to all the counts against them.

The convicts are serving their sentences at the Tamale Central Prisons.

It would be recalled that the Tamale Police Command arrested two carpenters namely Imoro Abdul Rahman, 25, and Mubarik Abu, 23, for attacking and robbing two ladies in the Northern Region.

The complainants were Foritong Cindy Yenulom, 25, a graduate of the Community Health Nursing Training School at Sakasaka in Tamale and Anaba Rophina, 26, a past student of Walewale Senior High School. Both reside at Kanvili-Tuunaayili, a suburb of Tamale.

The Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), DSP Mohammed Yusuf Tanko, who confirmed the arrest to DAILY GUIDE, said on 29th July, 2018, at about 11 pm, the complainants were walking home from a spot called King David. When they reached a section of the road at Kanvili-Tuunaayili, the accused persons who were riding on a Luojia motorbike crossed their way.

According to him, one of the victims, Anaba Rophina shouted out to Foritong Cindy Yenulom to run because the accused persons were armed.

The suspects chased Foritong Cindy Yenulom with a cutlass and collected from them one Infinix Hot Note mobile phone, one Tecno J8 mobile phone and a purse containing cash of GH¢300.

In the process, Imoro Abdul Rahman used the cutlass to slash the palm of Foritong Cindy Yenulom, cutting off her three fingers.

The victims were rescued by someone who was passing by. The person managed to arrest Imoro Abdul Rahman and took him to the Kanvili Chief Palace. He was later handed over to a police patrol team and brought to the station.

DSP Mohammed Yusuf Tanko said Mubarik Abu who took off with the motorbike was later arrested to aid in investigations.

Both accused persons admitted the offence in their caution statements to the police.

WATCH VIDEO

Crime & Punishment of Tuesday, 27 March 2018

Source: ghananewsagency.org

The convict, Kofi Seidu. Inset: The murdered British Missionary, Reverend Sidney Barnes

An Accra High Court has sentenced Kofi Seidu, a driver and a farm manager, who murdered and buried a British Missionary in an old farm at Nsawam in 2010, to death by hanging.

This was after a seven member jury unanimously returned a verdict of guilty on him in respect of the charge of murder.

However, on the charge of conspiracy to commit crime namely murder levelled against Seidu and Reverend Goodwill Padmore, an in- law of Reverend Sidney Barnes, the deceased, the jury unanimously returned a verdict of not guilty on them.

The Court, therefore, acquitted and discharged them on the charge of conspiracy.

Seidu who is to be hanged on the charge of murder, has 30 days to appeal against his conviction.

Mr Augustines Obuor, who represented the two, prayed the Court presided over by Mr Justice Iddrisu Abdullai for compensation of GH¢500,000, since Rev. Padmore had been on remand for the past eight years.

According to Mr Obuor, Rev. Padmore, an educationist, while in custody had suffered a mild stroke and prayed the Court to take into consideration Article 14 (5) of the 1992 Constitution.

“I believe that justice would be served if the eight year period that his freedom was taken away from him, he is adequately compensated by the High Court, which is a court of justice.”

Defence Counsel said Rev. Padmore now 68 years, if given the GH¢500,000 compensation would be enough to cater for his pension considering the humiliation ahead of him in the society he was going live in.

Ms Elizabeth Sackeyfio, a Senior Attorney from the Attorney General’s Department was of the opinion that Rev. Padmore was not entitled to any compensation.

The trial judge in his ruling held that Rev. Padmore would have to justify his stand.

The Prosecution said the 75 year old deceased was a missionary attached to the Calvary Chapel in the United States of America.

Prosecution said in 1997, the deceased came to Ghana as a missionary and established the Crossroads Christian Mission Incorporated in Koforidua in the Eastern Region.

He also established Prestige Secretarial and Computer School, Koforidua and owned Manna Missions Farms at Akwamu Amanfo, near Nsawam.

Prosecution said the deceased Rev Barnes, employed Seidu as a driver and farm manager and Rev. Padmore as the Principal of the Computer and Secretarial School in Koforidua.

Sometime in December 2009, the deceased took his leave and travelled to the USA on holidays but he constantly communicated with his employees, especially Rev. Padmore.

On March 10, 2009, the prosecution said the deceased informed Rev Padmore that he would be returning to Ghana on March 18, 2010 on board a British Airways Flight.

The deceased therefore, asked Rev. Padmore to inform Seidu to pick him up at the airport in the evening of March 18.

On that day, Rev. Padmore instructed Seidu to pick the deceased up but later on Seidu called to inform Rev. Padmore that the deceased Rev Barnes was nowhere to be found as he was not among the passengers on board the British Airways Flight.

Prosecution said from that time, the two accused persons did not receive any information on the deceased.

However, in May 2010, friends and partners of the deceased in the US became worried about the well-being of the Rev Barnes (the deceased) because they had lost contact with him since he left the US.

The prosecution said through the efforts of the deceased's friend one Donne Pouguini, a Ghanaian who lived at Nkawkaw in the Eastern Region; they managed to get in touch with the deceased's church in Koforidua, where he met the accused.

She said the accused informed Pouguini that they had also lost contact with the deceased.

In June 2010, Pouguini managed to get the two accused to accompany him to Accra to lodge a complainant with the Police, who in turn commenced investigations with publications searching for Reverend Sidney Barnes (the deceased).

During the investigations, it was revealed that the deceased flew from USA to London with electronic ticket number 1257465295192. The deceased also arrived in London and checked in at Comfort Hotel at Heathrow.

The deceased however, left on March 18, 2010 using the same ticket to board British Airways Flight to Ghana.

Enquiries at the Ghana Immigration Service indicated that the deceased checked out at about 10:03 pm.

Based on that, prosecution said Seidu was therefore picked up by the Police on September 26, 2010 where he denied ever picking the deceased from the airport.

On October 4, 2010, Seidu confessed that the deceased had been killed, adding, he was persuaded by Rev. Padmore to kill the deceased in order to take away all the money the deceased was bringing from USA.

Seidu, the prosecution said, mentioned that he found 3,000 dollars on the deceased which he gave to Rev Padmore, who gave him (Seidu) half of the amount.

On October 11, 2010, Seidu led a team of pathologists and Police investigators to Manna Missions Farms at Nsawam where he had buried the deceased and the body was exhumed and sent to the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for autopsy.

On October 13, 2010, autopsy conducted indicated that the deceased died of multiple stab injuries.

Prosecution called five witnesses to make their case during the trial which commenced on January 15, 2015.

Summing up, the Court noted that prosecution relied on circumstantial evidence and confession statement of Seidu.

According to the Court during the trial it was made known through a prosecution witness that Seidu apologised to Rev. Padmore for involving him in the crime.

Seidu, the Court said also took the deceased’s laptop to a witness to repair and whiles the said witness was going to see him (Seidu) off he realised that the windscreen of the deceased’s vehicle were broken.

When the witness quizzed Seidu, the Court said Seidu informed the witness that Rev. Barnes was on admission following an accident.

According to the court, during the trial, it came to light that Seidu took Rev. Barnes’ blood stain vehicle and offered same for sale for a fee of GH 3,500 cedis to a mechanic who also testified in the matter.

It noted that a Pathologist report established the cause of death of Rev. Barnes to multiple stab injuries.

The Court noted that the prosecution in proving their case ought to establish that Rev. Barnes was dead, his death was caused by harm, the harm was intentional, and that the harm was unlawful.

This, the court noted, was proved by prosecution beyond reasonable doubt.

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