Woyome's case back

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Friday, July 19,2013
The civil suit initiated by the State to retrieve the GH¢ 51.2 million paid to businessman, Alfred Agbesi Woyome bounced back at the Accra Commercial Court yesterday, after almost a year of suspension.

Hearing of the case was suspended in August last year to allow Mr. Woyome challenged a decision of the court that granted the State leave to amend its amended case to introduce the element of fraud.

It was also to allow the Supreme Court determine a matter brought before it by former Attorney General, Martin A. Amidu, against Waterville Holdings (BVI) and Mr. Woyome which bothered on the same issues

Following the determination of the two cases by the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, proceedings at the Commercial Court   resumed yesterday, but with an in-camera hearing for the two parties involved.

Woman conceals Indian hemp in "banku" for suspect

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Thursday, July 18, 2013

An attempt by a-29-year old nursing mother to smuggle quantities of dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp to an accused person being tried for alleged narcotic offence was yesterday afternoon foiled by security personnel on duty at the Cocoa Affairs Courts in Accra.

Esther Adokor, who had strapped her six-month old baby at her back, had concealed the dried leaves suspected to be Indian hemp, inside five of 10 balls of banku, which she attempted to deliver to the accused person who was being held in a holding cell at the Cocoa Affairs Courts.

Court threatens to strike out case agaisnt suspected arsonists

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Thursday, July 18, 2013

The Accra Circuit Court yesterday warned it will strike out the case against the two people accused of setting ablaze some markets in the country if prosecutors fail to start the case on July 23.

The court, presided over by Mr. Francis Obiri gave the warning when it refused the two accused persons bail at their second appearance.

Prosecutors yesterday told the court that they have concluded their investigations into the case and were ready to begin adducing evidence from next week.

This prompted  Carl Adongo, counsel for the two accused persons, Yakubu Tahiru also known as Rasta and Fatau Ibrahim to repeat his bail application, on grounds that there was no need for the prosecution to hold them in custody once investigations were over.

However, the court refused to grant them bail, stating that the granting of bail was at the discretion of the judge, but was not ready to exercise that discretion in favour of the accused persons.

The two have been charged with counts of conspiracy to commit crime and causing damage to markets within the Accra metropolis but they have denied the charges.

The accused persons were arrested by the police in Accra, after preliminary investigations allegedly found them responsible for some of the fires that had consumed major markets in Accra and Kumasi.

They case has been adjourned to July 23, 24 and 29.

Deeba challenges extradition order

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
Thursday, July 18, 2013

Ghanaian fugitive and hip life musician, Deeba Acheampong, has filed a formal appeal at the Accra Fast Track High Court challenging the order for his extradiction to the United Kingdom where he is wanted for prosecution.

The appeal which was filed on July 15, by his counsel, Augustine Obour, is expected to be heard on July 22 by the court presided over by Justice Edward Amoako Asante.

His lawyers had earlier filed a habeas corpus application which they argued constituted an appeal in extradition proceedings, but the court disagreed with them, describing that argument as unfounded in law.

Consequently, it gave the musician up to yesterday to file a proper appeal, setting out the grounds, and serve it on the Attorney General’s Department.

Deeba's habeas corpus motion doesn't hold- Court

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
July 12, 2013

A Fast Track High Court in Accra has ruled that the Habeas Corpus (produce in person) motion filed by popular hip-life musician, Deeba Acheampong, cannot constitute an appeal against the order for his extradition to the United Kingdom where he is wanted for prosecution.

Lawyers for the musician who is alleged to have raped his eight-year old step daughter had argued that in extradition proceedings, habeas corpus application as captured by the extradition law was an appeal.

However, the court presided over by Justice Edward Amoako Asante rejected that argument describing it as “unfounded in law”, and gave the fugitive up to July 17 to file a proper appeal setting out the grounds and serve it on the Attorney General Department.

The court held that habeas corpus application in law means to produce the body of a person in detention and justify the continuous detention of the said person, and cannot be an appeal as argued by Augustine Obour, counsel for Deeba.

Betty,Odro wrote to justify Woyome's claims

By Stephen Kwabena Effah

June 11, 2013

Lawyers for businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome, yesterday tendered in evidence, three letters written by former Attorney General, Betty Mould-Iddrisu and her Deputy, Ebo Barton-Odro, to the Ministry of Finance justifying claims made by Mr. Woyome against the State.

Per the three letters, the former Attorney General and her deputy advanced reasons for the legitimacy of Mr. Woyome’s claims against the State and accordingly requested the Minister of Finance to pay Mr.Woyome.

Two of the letters dated April 11 and April 29, 2010 were written by Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu while the other one dated March 29, 2010 was written by Mr. Barton-Odro.

The three letters were tendered through the acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Justice, Mr Suleiman Ahmed, when he mounted the witness box yesterday to continue his evidence under cross-examination by Sarfo Buabeng, counsel for Mr. Woyome.

Mr. Woyome is being tried for defrauding by false pretences and causing financial loss to the state; charges he has denied since June 5, 2012. Three other alleged accomplices who were put before court with him were discharged on June 5, 2012 following a nolle prosequi by the state.

What’s in the Phrase? The Tales of Ghana’s Trotro Drivers

They are mostly wobbly, crowded and little fun to ride. But every first-time visitor to Ghana and even Ghanaians look amazed at the taxi minibuses called trotros for their often thought-provoking inscriptions. So what’s the philosophy behind these phrases? Stephen Kwabena Effah explores the meanings.