Saturday, March 22, 2014

Wanlov Kubolor Rejects Armed Robbery In The Murder Of Popular Ghanaian Artiste Manager

By Stephen Kwabena Effah


Controversial Afro-Gypsy artiste, Wanlov the Kubolor, has in a tweet expressed doubt over suggestions that slain Ghanaian artiste manager, Fennec Okyere, might have been a victim of an armed robbery gone haywire.
Kubolor is not ruling out foul play in the murder, still under investigation.

Ghana’s Wanlov Stirs Controversy; Raises Doubts About God As The Creator Of Man

By Stephen Kwabena Effah

He has incurred the wrath of some religious sects in Ghana and Nigeria for his pointed criticism of the social norm. His often sarcastic music lyrics and social media commentary have earned this maverick the ire of many a God-fearing folk, yet Ghana’s Wanlov Kubolor appears unrepentant.


Known for his repulsive antics, eccentric behaviour and music, the Afro-Gypsy entertainer has stirred up another controversy with what could be best described as a ‘series of blasphemous comments’ in the Christian circles.

BIG BROTHER AFRICA LOVEBIRDS RESHAPING AFRICAN FASHION WITH CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN DESIGNS

By Stephen Kwabena Effah
She’s got the beauty, style, the physique, and she flaunts it big time. Yes, the Harare-born Big Brother Africa star, Pokello Nare, is causing a stir in the fashion world in Africa.
The Zimbabwean television presenter has teamed up with her Ghanaian fashion designer boyfriend-cum-BBA housemate, Elikem Kumordzie, to reshape and promote African fashion.

Monday, March 10, 2014

GHANAIAN ACTRESS SET TO BREAK ELLEN DEGENERES’ TWITTER SELFIE RECORD

By Stephen Kwabena Effah


She is not in the influential Oscars league, but the 30-year old award winning Ghanaian actress, Lydia Forson, has launched a challenge to wrestle Hollywood’s Ellen DeGeneres over her all-time twitter selfie.

The star-studded self-portrait, taken by DeGeneres at the just-ended Oscars became the most retweeted picture ever with over 3.3 million retweets and counting. It has so far clocked over 1.8 million favourites.

But Ghana’s film star, who claims to be “sexier than a confident woman,” on Ghana’s 57th Independence Day tweeted her version of Ghana cum Nigeria star-studded selfie hoping to break the record of the American stand-up comedian.





Friday, January 10, 2014

"Branch Here? " - Welcome to Ghana's World !

 By Stephen Kwabena Effah

Ghenglish is what I call it. Yes! Ghenglish, the Ghanaian version of the Queen’s English language.

To any foreigner, it may sound outlandish and difficult to comprehend but to the ordinary Ghanaian, that is what has become the everyday English used mostly in everyday conversations.

While these plethora of words, expressions and phrases are used understandably among Ghanaians and foreigners living in the country, they leave new foreigners pondering considering that the meanings are not always implicit.

After all, just as some of the Queen’s English were either derived or borrowed from French, so have Ghanaians explored their linguistic creativity to come up with these phrases.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

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.

Monday, June 24, 2013

ISOFOTON to refund US$325,472 Judgement Debt



By Stephen Kwabena Effah

June 22, 2013

The Supreme Court yesterday laid to rest, one of the country’s questionable judgement debts when it ordered Spanish energy firm, Isofoton SA, to refund to the Government of Ghana, some US$325,472 and all other monies paid to it as judgement debt in March 2011.

Bench warrant for ex-NIB Boss



By Stephen Kwabena Effah

June 21, 2013

A bench warrant has been issued for the arrest of former Managing Director of National Investment Bank, Daniel Charles Gyimah, who is standing trial for fraud in the importation of Indian rice into the country by the government in 2008.

Court summons former Attorney General



By Stephen Kwabena Effah

June 18, 2013

The Accra Commercial Court has ordered former Attorney General Joe Ghartey, to appear before it next Monday to give evidence in the case in which six Ghanaians are challenging the government’s sale of 70 per cent shares in Ghana Telecom to Vodafone.

It has accordingly directed that a hearing notice be served on him by June 20.

Mr. Ghartey who was served with a subpoena and a hearing notice on June 14 through the Clerk of Parliament, was expected to have appeared in court yesterday but when the case was called at exactly 12:45pm, he was absent; prompting the judge to give the order.

He is expected to give evidence on the Sale and Purchasing Agreement (SPA), as well as matters relating to the sale of the 70 per cent shares to Vodafone International in July 2008 for 900 million dollars.

Monday, June 17, 2013

'Refund All the Money' - Supreme Court Orders Waterville



By Stephen Kwabena Effah
     June 15, 2013


The Supreme Court yesterday ordered Waterville Holdings (BVI) Limited to refund to the State an amount of 25 million Euros paid to them in 2010.

In its judgement the nine-member panel of Justices unanimously declared as unconstitutional the basis on which the amount was paid to the construction firm.

It, however, declined to order businessman Alfred Agbesi Woyome to refund the GHC 51 million paid to him by the State in judgement debt on jurisdictional grounds, since the issues relating to Mr. Woyome are matters within the purview of the High Court trying the case.

According to the court, the issue that Mr. Woyome has no contract with the government and should not have been paid any money is an issue for determination by the Commercial Division of the High Court.

The court held that the two agreements on stadia projects dated April 26, 2006 which formed the basis of the payment in 2009 was “inchoate” in view of the fact that the government on August 1, 2006, cancelled the contracts, rendering them null and void.

Thursday, June 13, 2013

NLC drags Fair Wages, Pharmacists to court



By Stephen Kwabena Effah
      June 13, 2013

The National Labour Commission has applied to the Accra Financial High Court to compel members of the Government and Hospital Pharmacists Association (GHOSPA) to call off their strike action which has caused major upset in government health facilities across the country.

It is further seeking an order compelling the Fair Wages and Salaries Commission to enforce its (NLC) judgement of January 25, 2013 relating to the conversion difference of the members of GHOSPA.

The case, which came up in court yesterday, was, however, adjourned when it emerged that the NLC was short-served with the affidavits in opposition filed by the GHOSPA and FWSC on June 11 and yesterday, respectively.

When the case was called, counsel for NLC, Afiba Amihere, told the court, presided over by Justice John Ajet-Nasam, that in view of the short service of the respondents’ affidavits on them, they would need time to study it and respond appropriately.

She said that has become necessary because of certain depositions made by the FWSC in their affidavit in opposition which she described as “highly unprofessional”, hence prayed the court for time to clarify those issues raised therein.

“My lord, they (FWSC) are taking all of us for a big ride,” she told the court.

Gbagbo ally fears torture, killing in home country



By Stephen Kwabena Effah
     June 13, 2013

The former Ivorian Budget Minister, Justin Katinan Koné, has told a Magistrate’s Court in Accra that he would be killed if extradited to Ivory Coast where he is wanted for prosecution over an alleged robbery.

Although, he said he was ready to defend himself on the charges of conspiracy and robbery in his home country, he claimed, “they will torture me and eventually kill me”.

Mr. Koné, who is also the spokesman for former Ivorian President, Laurent Gbagbo, and has been in Ghana as a refugee since April 2011, is facing extradition proceedings in Accra following a warrant issued by the Ivorian Government.

He has since his arrest on August 24, 2012 by Ghana’s security agencies, been fighting his extradition before the Magistrate’s Court presided over by Mr. Aboagye Tandoh.

To avoid extradition, Mr. Kone is expected to lead evidence to establish that there is no extradition treaty between Ghana and Ivory Coast, as well as evidence that the charges on which he is being sought for is politically motivated.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Kone Accuses Ivorian Government of Political Victimisation



By Stephen Kwabena Effah
June 12, 2013


Justin Katinan Kone, Spokesman for former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo, has described attempts by the Ivorian Government to have him extradited to that country to face robbery charges as politically motivated.

He told a Magistrates’ Court in Accra yesterday that there was no justification whatsoever in the attempts to extradite him to Ivory Coast where he was wanted for prosecution on 20 counts of conspiracy and armed robbery.

“I did not commit any of these offences. I think that the case is a political case,” he told the court when he mounted the witness box to give evidence in the ongoing extradition proceedings against him.

Per extradition documents issued by the Ivorian authorities to their Ghanaian counterpart, Mr. Kone, was said to have conspired with some people and led troops to rob banks in Abidjan on April 19 and April 20, 2011.

However, Mr. Kone, who is in Ghana on a refugee status, yesterday told the Magistrates Court hearing the extradition proceedings that he was in Ghana at the time that the alleged robbery was said to have taken place.

“I left my home 10 days before our president (Gbagbo) was overthrown...From March 27, 2011 to today, I have never put any foot in my office in Abidjan. It is therefore not possible to have led our troops to rob any bank,” he said in his evidence to the court yesterday.

Deeba To Be Extradited To UK



Stephen Kwabena Effah
June 8, 2013

A Magistrate Court in Accra yesterday ordered the extradition of popular hip-life musician, Deeba Acheampong, to the United Kingdom where is alleged to have raped his eight-year old step daughter.

The Interior Ministry is expected to prepare the extradition order as per yesterday’s ruling for the court’s approval before Deeba, who has a 15-day window of appeal, is extradited to the UK.

His lawyer, Augustine Obour told journalists after proceedings that he would apply for a copy of the ruling by the Magistrate, Aboagye Tandoh, and consider the next line of action to take in the case.

The Ghanaian fugitive has been fighting extradition since his arrest in January this year at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra during an undercover operation for alleged rape and assault of his step daughters.

The court said yesterday that it found as a fact that prima facie case has been made against Deeba on the five counts of defilement under Ghanaian laws ( under UK laws, the offence fall under rape) which was preferred against him for the purposes of the extradition proceedings.

“Having considered the totality of the evidence, I am of a candid opinion that a prima facie case has been made against him on the charges of defilement,” Mr. Tandoh said and remanded Deeba to Prison custody pending this extradition.

The court, however, discharged Deeba on the one count of assault since it found no sufficient basis for that charge under Ghanaian laws to meet the extradition law.

This means that Deeba upon his extradition would be tried only on the charges of rape.

According to the court, the charge of rape as Deeba was charged under the UK laws and defilement under Ghanaian laws is within the scope under the Extradition Act 22, 1960, indicating that the charge is not politically motivated.

“I find as a fact per a summary of evidence before me that the charges are not politically motivated,” Mr. Tandoh said.

The Magistrate rejected the defence team’s claim that Ghana and UK has no extradition agreement, noting that Ghana upon attainment of independence from the British rule inherited an extradition agreement between the Britain and UK.

In December 2012, INTERPOL Accra received a request of arrest warrant from its counterpart in London to the effect that between 2005 and 2008, while living in the UK, the accused person had a relationship with a woman who already had two daughters, aged eight and six, from her previous relationship.

Subsequently Deeba and the woman had two children from their union.

Initially, they lived separately but when the woman went on night shift Deeba took care of the home and cared for the children.

That, prosecutors said, continued until September 2008 when Deeba returned to Ghana to pursue his musical career.

But two weeks after his departure from the UK, Deeba’s step-daughter told her mother that her Deeba had sexual intercourse with her on several occasions whenever her mother went to work at night.

According to prosecutors, on those occasions, Deeba invited the girl into the bedroom to watch pornographic films with him, after which he would lay her on the bed, kiss her mouth, apply baby oil on his penis and have sex with her.

The little girl also alleged that the accused person sometimes had anal sex with her and that after each act he put a sanitary towel in her panties to avoid evidence of bloodstains and also hid his stained bed sheet.

She further alleged that Deeba threatened to beat her if she disclosed the acts to anyone.

Deeba, prosecutors said, assaulted the little girl’s sister between June 1 and 4, 2008 when she attempted to satisfy her inquisitiveness about what was happening to her sister and that led to a cut on the back of the girl’s head.

A medical examination on the little girl by a forensic physician, Dr. Ainsley Kassie, revealed extensive damage to her hymen as a result of vaginal penetration.

Deeba was said to have denied the offence when he was confronted by his fiancée, who later lodged a complaint with the Police, following which a warrant was issued by the Northampton-Shire Magistrate’s Court for the arrest of the accused person.

Deeba was arrested at the La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra during an undercover operation.

He has, however, denied the offence in his caution statement to the Police