By Stephen Kwabena Effah
January 10, 2012
The Human Rights Court has ordered the Director of Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) and the Attorney-General (AG) to produce Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Gifty Mawuenyega before the court tomorrow to justify why she is being held in custody.
DSP Mawuenyega, who is the Deputy Commander at the Commercial Crime Unit at the Police CID Headquarters, is being held for her alleged involvement in the cocaine-turned-baking soda saga that led to the acquittal and discharge of the suspect, Nana Ama Martins.
However, following an ex-parte motion for an order of habeas corpus, the court presided over by Justice Kofi Essel Mensah, ruled yesterday that the reason for DSP Mawuenyega’s continuous detention was unknown.
He consequently ordered the two respondents to produce the body of DSP Mawuenyega to show cause to the court as to why she had not been granted bail since December 29, when she was detained by the BNI
Moving the motion yesterday, counsel for DSP Mawuenyega, Mr. Oliver K. A. Dzeble, told the court that his client who is a police officer was arrested by the BNI on December 29, 2011 and has since been in custody.
According to him, DSP Mawuenyega is only suspected to have played a role in the trial of a narcotic suspect, Nana Ama Martins, who was acquitted and discharged by an Accra Circuit Court.
He described as “unreasonable,” the continuous detention of his client beyond the 48 hours prescribed under Article 14 of the constitution, and argued that “the reason for her detention does not constitute a criminal offence.”
DSP Mawuenyega’s arrest followed investigations commenced by the BNI to establish the circumstance under which the cocaine, which had been tendered in evidence as exhibit, mysteriously turned into sodium bicarbonate.
The investigation was ordered by President John Evans Atta Mills, and the BNI has since January 6, presented its report to the President. The contents of the report are yet to be made public.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
17 Granted Bail Over La Riot
By Stephen Kwabena Effah
January 10,2012
The 17 persons arrested for their alleged illegal take over of the La Pleasure Beach Resort in Accra from the legitimate operators have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court, warning that it will rescind the bail in the event of any unrest in the area.
Each of them was granted GH¢5,000-bail with two sureties yesterday after they had all pleaded not guilty to two counts of being on the premises for unlawful purposes and offensive conduct with the intent to breach the peace.
They are Abdul Rashid Boi-Nai, Roland Tetteh Fio, Eric Ofoli Quaye, Anum Feehi, Robert Moffat, Samuel Annang Laryea, Ako Sowah, David Nai Mensah and Leeford Vemo Tetteh.
The rest are Ako Odoi, Norbert A.Sowa, Nicholas Adjei Annan, Henry Abbey, Abraham Tetteh, Jonathan Adjei Laryea, Dornu Abbey and Sowa Tawiah.
Counsel for the accused persons, Mohammed Sahnoon, informed the court yesterday that the complainants in the case, the La Traditional Council, had approached the respondents to have the matter settled out of court.
But the prosecutor in the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) E.Y Frimpong told the court that it had not been brought to his notice, saying “I am not aware of any move to settle the case, the complainant has not indicated to me of any settlement”.
All the same, he said he would consult with the complainants on the new development and accordingly inform the court presided over by Ms. Audrey Kocuvie-Tay on the next adjourned date of January 18.
The case as presented to the court was that the accused persons violently and unlawfully took over the management and operation of the La Pleasure Beach Resort from the legitimate operators.
According to the prosecution, without any authority, the 17 went to the resort and took over from the legitimate toll collectors.
The prosecution told the court that prior to the arrest of the accused persons, the La Traditional Council wrote to the Police to complain of the accused persons’ behaviour and requested for their intervention.
Consequently, the Police on January 4, embarked on operational duties at the resort and arrested the accused persons who were said to be obstructing the officers of the resort from performing their legitimate duties.
“The accused persons had not lodged any previous complaints to the council for which the council failed to act, warranting their illegal take over of the La Pleasure Beach Resort,” the police told the court.
The prosecution said they also did not have any authority empowering them to sack the officers who had been assigned by the La Traditional Council to man the resort.
January 10,2012
The 17 persons arrested for their alleged illegal take over of the La Pleasure Beach Resort in Accra from the legitimate operators have been granted bail by an Accra Circuit Court, warning that it will rescind the bail in the event of any unrest in the area.
Each of them was granted GH¢5,000-bail with two sureties yesterday after they had all pleaded not guilty to two counts of being on the premises for unlawful purposes and offensive conduct with the intent to breach the peace.
They are Abdul Rashid Boi-Nai, Roland Tetteh Fio, Eric Ofoli Quaye, Anum Feehi, Robert Moffat, Samuel Annang Laryea, Ako Sowah, David Nai Mensah and Leeford Vemo Tetteh.
The rest are Ako Odoi, Norbert A.Sowa, Nicholas Adjei Annan, Henry Abbey, Abraham Tetteh, Jonathan Adjei Laryea, Dornu Abbey and Sowa Tawiah.
Counsel for the accused persons, Mohammed Sahnoon, informed the court yesterday that the complainants in the case, the La Traditional Council, had approached the respondents to have the matter settled out of court.
But the prosecutor in the case, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) E.Y Frimpong told the court that it had not been brought to his notice, saying “I am not aware of any move to settle the case, the complainant has not indicated to me of any settlement”.
All the same, he said he would consult with the complainants on the new development and accordingly inform the court presided over by Ms. Audrey Kocuvie-Tay on the next adjourned date of January 18.
The case as presented to the court was that the accused persons violently and unlawfully took over the management and operation of the La Pleasure Beach Resort from the legitimate operators.
According to the prosecution, without any authority, the 17 went to the resort and took over from the legitimate toll collectors.
The prosecution told the court that prior to the arrest of the accused persons, the La Traditional Council wrote to the Police to complain of the accused persons’ behaviour and requested for their intervention.
Consequently, the Police on January 4, embarked on operational duties at the resort and arrested the accused persons who were said to be obstructing the officers of the resort from performing their legitimate duties.
“The accused persons had not lodged any previous complaints to the council for which the council failed to act, warranting their illegal take over of the La Pleasure Beach Resort,” the police told the court.
The prosecution said they also did not have any authority empowering them to sack the officers who had been assigned by the La Traditional Council to man the resort.
Sunday, January 08, 2012
Girl, 15, Consults Herbalist at Mid-Night Gets Defiled
By Stephen Kwabena Effah
January 6, 2012
A 15-year old girl who aborted a planned December 31 All-Night Church Service to consult a herbalist for retentive memory to enable her to do well in class, rather ended up been sexually assaulted by the 25-year-old herbalist.
The herbalist, Gamado Sylvanus, also known as “Scorpion,” is said to have bathed the girl (name withheld) with a concoction prepared with leaves after which he put some of the leaves under a pillow in his bedroom and asked the victim to sleep on it.
The victim then fell asleep at which point “Scorpion” allegedly had sex with her, and gave her GH 1 the next morning as transportation from Tabora to her house at New Achimota in Accra.
“Scorpion” was arrested by the police and was yesterday arraigned before the Accra gender-based violence court and charged for defilement.
His plea was not taken and had been remanded in police custody to assist in investigations. He is to January 9.
ASP Sarah Acquah told the court, presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa, that the victim lives with her guardian at New Achimota while the accused, lives at Tabora, all suburbs of Accra.
On December 31, 2011, she said the victim contacted “Scorpion” that she wanted rituals for retentive memory, following which he called her on phone at about 11:00pm to come to his house for the said rituals.
According to the prosecution, the victim told “Scorpion” that she was attending a an all-might church service with her friends but, aborted it and went to “Scorpion’s” house.
At the place, ASP Acquah said “Scorpion” put some concoction prepared with leaves in water and bathed the victim with it after which he put other leaves under a pillow in his bedroom and asked the victim to sleep on it.
“The accused then had sexual intercourse with the victim while she was asleep. When she woke up on January 1, 2012 at about 6:00am, she felt abdominal pains and realsied that someone had had sex with her,” ASP Acquah told the court.
She said when the victim questioned “Scorpion” as to why he had sex with her; Scorpion could not give any reason and gave her GH 1 for transport to her house.
ASP Acquah told the court that the victim informed her guardian about her ordeal when she got home and the matter was reported to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Police which issued her with a medical form for examination.
“Scorpion” was later arrested and charged for court.
January 6, 2012
A 15-year old girl who aborted a planned December 31 All-Night Church Service to consult a herbalist for retentive memory to enable her to do well in class, rather ended up been sexually assaulted by the 25-year-old herbalist.
The herbalist, Gamado Sylvanus, also known as “Scorpion,” is said to have bathed the girl (name withheld) with a concoction prepared with leaves after which he put some of the leaves under a pillow in his bedroom and asked the victim to sleep on it.
The victim then fell asleep at which point “Scorpion” allegedly had sex with her, and gave her GH 1 the next morning as transportation from Tabora to her house at New Achimota in Accra.
“Scorpion” was arrested by the police and was yesterday arraigned before the Accra gender-based violence court and charged for defilement.
His plea was not taken and had been remanded in police custody to assist in investigations. He is to January 9.
ASP Sarah Acquah told the court, presided over by Justice Georgina Mensah-Datsa, that the victim lives with her guardian at New Achimota while the accused, lives at Tabora, all suburbs of Accra.
On December 31, 2011, she said the victim contacted “Scorpion” that she wanted rituals for retentive memory, following which he called her on phone at about 11:00pm to come to his house for the said rituals.
According to the prosecution, the victim told “Scorpion” that she was attending a an all-might church service with her friends but, aborted it and went to “Scorpion’s” house.
At the place, ASP Acquah said “Scorpion” put some concoction prepared with leaves in water and bathed the victim with it after which he put other leaves under a pillow in his bedroom and asked the victim to sleep on it.
“The accused then had sexual intercourse with the victim while she was asleep. When she woke up on January 1, 2012 at about 6:00am, she felt abdominal pains and realsied that someone had had sex with her,” ASP Acquah told the court.
She said when the victim questioned “Scorpion” as to why he had sex with her; Scorpion could not give any reason and gave her GH 1 for transport to her house.
ASP Acquah told the court that the victim informed her guardian about her ordeal when she got home and the matter was reported to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit of the Police which issued her with a medical form for examination.
“Scorpion” was later arrested and charged for court.
Man Cries Foul- eight-month pregnant wife dies from doc's action
By Stephen Kwabena Effah
January 5, 2012
An alleged gross negligence of a doctor and medical staff of the Kwesimentsim Polyclinic in the Western Region has caused the death of a pregnant woman.
The medical doctor, Dr. Mensah, is said to have gone ahead to give medication to the woman, Ama Adjei, to induce her eight months pregnancy regardless of a pending result of a series of laboratory tests, causing her to vomit and bleed to death.
The husband of the deceased, Samuel Effah, a lecturer at the Takoradi Polytechnic Business School, has consequently petitioned the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Services, Ghana Medical Association and the Polyclinic to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of wife.
The petition, a copy of which was made available to the press is urging the institutions to investigate the decision to induce the deceased to deliver 35 a weeks pregnancy on the weekend, failure of doctors to attend to his wife when she was bleeding, the absence of personnel to administer blood to his wife and the delay in referring her on time among other concerns.
Recounting the events that led to his wife’s death, Mr. Effah said on December 8, 2011 his wife reported to the poly clinic with headache and was admitted because her blood pressure was said to have been very high.
Mr. Effah said the doctor prescribed a number of drugs for the wife but they could not get two of the drugs from the clinic pharmacy so they were asked to buy them from outside.
He said when he went to a pharmacy shop to get the drugs; a pharmacist told him that one of the medications (Tab Dexamethasons 12G Bd. X2) could be a wrong prescription since the dosage is too high.
In the circumstance, he said he made attempts to reach the doctor on his mobile phone but to no avail and could not also meet him at the poly clinic when he went back to inform him about the development.
He said a nurse on duty at the time, one Maame Esi, told them that the clinic did not even administer tablets of the said drug, so they decided not to buy the poly drug until they had had confirmation from the doctor.
Mr.Effah said that on the next day, December 9, 2011, when he went back to the poly clinic, Maame Esi informed him that “the doctor who prescribed the drug has confirmed that it was a mistake on his part so he has changed it and administered new drug”.
On December 10, 2011, he said Dr. Mensah invited him through his wife to the poly clinic where he was informed that his wife’s blood pressure was fluctuating and that the doctor told him that it could affect the unborn baby and his wife.
“The doctor accordingly suggested to us that the safest thing to do was to induce my wife to deliver in order to prevent the risk of death”, Mr. Effah told the Times.
He said Dr. Mensah told him that since the pregnancy was 35 weeks, old the inducement would not affect the unborn baby and the deceased.
“The doctor said with the inducement, the mother could deliver by herself or could be operated if it became possible,” he said, adding that once the doctor assured him it was safe, he gave the go ahead for the procedure.
Mr. Effah said he then informed the Dr. Mensah about the laboratory test his wife did and the results of which they were awaiting, but the doctor told him “he was okay without the laboratory test results”.
He said when he visited his wife in the afternoon, she had started vomiting. Later in the evening, he said Maame Esi who had then signed off duty called him on his phone to inform him that she needed to give the one who took over from her some information.
According to him, when he enquired as to whether there was a problem, Maame Esi insisted on speaking to the one on duty.
At about 6:30 pm, he said his wife called him on phone to bring her food but when he got there, the nurse on duty prevented him from seeing her since according to the nurse, they had given her a bottle of coke and that the deceased was okay.
Mr. Effah said while waiting, the nurse informed him that his wife’s blood pressure had gone up and bleeding at the same time, contending that the nurse told him that several attempts to reach Dr. Mensah on phone proved futile.
He said the nurse further told him that his wife needed blood transfusion but when they went to the blood bank, the officer in charge to administer the blood was not there and several attempts to get the officer on phone proved futile.
He said at that point, he requested that his wife be transferred to the nearest hospital in view of the emergency nature of her condition, adding “the nurse said she needed a medical doctor to authorize the transfer”.
According to Mr. Effah, the nurse told him that there was no doctor available, so that could not transfer the patient.
However, he said another nurse came around and insisted that the patient be transferred to Efia-Nkwanta Hospital.
Again, he said when the transfer processes were ready after about 30 minutes; they could not get an ambulance.
“As the ambulance was not forthcoming and my wife’s condition was getting worse, I rushed out to get a taxi cab to convey my wife to Efiankwanta Hospital,” he said adding that he was informed upon arrival that his wife was dead already.
He said on December 12, he reported to the hospital to collect a report on his wife’s death and when he enquired about the cause of death, Dr. Mensah told him that she died as a result of loss of blood.
“I asked why he did not come to perform the operation when my wife could not deliver and he said it was too late and risky. He said blood transfusion could have saved her life”.
January 5, 2012
An alleged gross negligence of a doctor and medical staff of the Kwesimentsim Polyclinic in the Western Region has caused the death of a pregnant woman.
The medical doctor, Dr. Mensah, is said to have gone ahead to give medication to the woman, Ama Adjei, to induce her eight months pregnancy regardless of a pending result of a series of laboratory tests, causing her to vomit and bleed to death.
The husband of the deceased, Samuel Effah, a lecturer at the Takoradi Polytechnic Business School, has consequently petitioned the Ministry of Health, Ghana Health Services, Ghana Medical Association and the Polyclinic to investigate the circumstances that led to the death of wife.
The petition, a copy of which was made available to the press is urging the institutions to investigate the decision to induce the deceased to deliver 35 a weeks pregnancy on the weekend, failure of doctors to attend to his wife when she was bleeding, the absence of personnel to administer blood to his wife and the delay in referring her on time among other concerns.
Recounting the events that led to his wife’s death, Mr. Effah said on December 8, 2011 his wife reported to the poly clinic with headache and was admitted because her blood pressure was said to have been very high.
Mr. Effah said the doctor prescribed a number of drugs for the wife but they could not get two of the drugs from the clinic pharmacy so they were asked to buy them from outside.
He said when he went to a pharmacy shop to get the drugs; a pharmacist told him that one of the medications (Tab Dexamethasons 12G Bd. X2) could be a wrong prescription since the dosage is too high.
In the circumstance, he said he made attempts to reach the doctor on his mobile phone but to no avail and could not also meet him at the poly clinic when he went back to inform him about the development.
He said a nurse on duty at the time, one Maame Esi, told them that the clinic did not even administer tablets of the said drug, so they decided not to buy the poly drug until they had had confirmation from the doctor.
Mr.Effah said that on the next day, December 9, 2011, when he went back to the poly clinic, Maame Esi informed him that “the doctor who prescribed the drug has confirmed that it was a mistake on his part so he has changed it and administered new drug”.
On December 10, 2011, he said Dr. Mensah invited him through his wife to the poly clinic where he was informed that his wife’s blood pressure was fluctuating and that the doctor told him that it could affect the unborn baby and his wife.
“The doctor accordingly suggested to us that the safest thing to do was to induce my wife to deliver in order to prevent the risk of death”, Mr. Effah told the Times.
He said Dr. Mensah told him that since the pregnancy was 35 weeks, old the inducement would not affect the unborn baby and the deceased.
“The doctor said with the inducement, the mother could deliver by herself or could be operated if it became possible,” he said, adding that once the doctor assured him it was safe, he gave the go ahead for the procedure.
Mr. Effah said he then informed the Dr. Mensah about the laboratory test his wife did and the results of which they were awaiting, but the doctor told him “he was okay without the laboratory test results”.
He said when he visited his wife in the afternoon, she had started vomiting. Later in the evening, he said Maame Esi who had then signed off duty called him on his phone to inform him that she needed to give the one who took over from her some information.
According to him, when he enquired as to whether there was a problem, Maame Esi insisted on speaking to the one on duty.
At about 6:30 pm, he said his wife called him on phone to bring her food but when he got there, the nurse on duty prevented him from seeing her since according to the nurse, they had given her a bottle of coke and that the deceased was okay.
Mr. Effah said while waiting, the nurse informed him that his wife’s blood pressure had gone up and bleeding at the same time, contending that the nurse told him that several attempts to reach Dr. Mensah on phone proved futile.
He said the nurse further told him that his wife needed blood transfusion but when they went to the blood bank, the officer in charge to administer the blood was not there and several attempts to get the officer on phone proved futile.
He said at that point, he requested that his wife be transferred to the nearest hospital in view of the emergency nature of her condition, adding “the nurse said she needed a medical doctor to authorize the transfer”.
According to Mr. Effah, the nurse told him that there was no doctor available, so that could not transfer the patient.
However, he said another nurse came around and insisted that the patient be transferred to Efia-Nkwanta Hospital.
Again, he said when the transfer processes were ready after about 30 minutes; they could not get an ambulance.
“As the ambulance was not forthcoming and my wife’s condition was getting worse, I rushed out to get a taxi cab to convey my wife to Efiankwanta Hospital,” he said adding that he was informed upon arrival that his wife was dead already.
He said on December 12, he reported to the hospital to collect a report on his wife’s death and when he enquired about the cause of death, Dr. Mensah told him that she died as a result of loss of blood.
“I asked why he did not come to perform the operation when my wife could not deliver and he said it was too late and risky. He said blood transfusion could have saved her life”.
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