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Ofosu Ampofo, Kwaku Boahen case: A-G asked to file statement of prosecution witness
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An Accra High Court on Friday directed the Attorney-General (A-G) to file the statement of the second prosecution witness in the trial of National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and Mr Anthony Kwaku Boahen, Deputy Communications Director of the party, by June 19, 2020.
This followed an application to the court by Mr Ashong Okai, a Senior State Attorney, for the prosecution to be given time to file the statements.
Meanwhile, the accused were challenging the constitutionality of the tendering in of some documents in the trial, which included an audio tape at the Supreme Court.
Mr Tony Lithur, counsel for Mr -Ampofo told the Court that he would seek an earlier date at the Supreme Court (SC) for the hearing of that application on the tendered evidence.
The Court presided over by Justice Samuel K. Asiedu has scheduled the trial dates to July 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17, 2020.
Earlier, Counsel for Mr Ampofo, who is also the NDC, applied for a stay of proceedings, but the court refused.
However, counsel went ahead to appeal against the refusal at the Court of Appeal, but later withdrew that appeal before proceeding to the SC.
The lawyer had earlier cited Rule 27, of which Justice Asiedu in his ruling, said that it had become a common practice for lawyers to cite Rule 27 as their authority when applying for stay of proceedings.
He said, however, that the inherent power to stay proceedings applied to civil cases not criminal proceedings, adding that Rule 27 did not apply in criminal cases but fell under part two of the rules to civil cases brought before the Court of Appeal.
Mr Lithur told the Court that the trial could only proceed if the automatic seven days pending the appeal to quash the admission of the witness statement by the court had elapsed.
The A-G said the first prosecution witness in his evidence-in-chief identified his signature on the witness statement and did not object to his witness statement during the Case Management Conference stage.
Mr Ampofo and Mr Boahen are facing charges, including, conspiracy to cause harm and assault on Professor Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council, and Madam Jean Mensa, the Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson.
They are on a GH¢100,000.00 bail each with a surety each.
It would be recalled that on January 31, 2019, a by-election was conducted at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency as a result of the demise of its Member of Parliament.
Prosecution said there were disturbances in the course of the elections and on February 3, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, met the party’s communications directors at its headquarters, at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra.
The court heard that the meeting was recorded of which on that audio tape, that was circulated later in a cross-section of the media, contained a set-up of a road-map of criminal activities targeted at the Chairperson of the EC and the chairman of the National Peace Council.
Prosecution said the tape was intercepted by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.
The prosecution said Mr Ofosu Ampofo on the audio also incited NDC communicators to molest both the EC and Peace Council Chairpersons.
The court heard that that the orchestrated electoral violence plot was going to be attributed to the New Patriotic Party. – GNA
Construction of a major underground stormwater drain along the Dr. Busia Highway within the Kaneshie enclave will commence on September 7, 2026.
The Project Coordinator for the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) Project, Dr. Kwadwo Ohene Sarfo, announced this at a special media briefing on Wednesday.
According to him, the works will involve the construction of a double-cell underground rectangular drain measuring approximately 10 metres wide and 1.95 kilometres long, stretching from Pamprom Junction to First Light Junction.
The new drain will replace the existing two 1.2-metre diameter pipes, which are inadequate to carry the volume of stormwater in the area.
Dr. Sarfo said the drain will connect at one end to the recently completed section within the Accra Academy campus and at the other end to the existing drain at Pamprom Junction.
He said the construction is expected to run from September 2026 to October 2027.
The project forms part of government’s broader flood prevention and mitigation programme aimed at addressing perennial flooding in Accra.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, has withdrawn from the party’s National Chairmanship race.
In a statement issued yesterday, Chairman Wontumi who is currently serving a 20-year jail term said his decision was driven by his love for the party and his unwillingness to let his personal circumstances distract the NPP from its rebuilding efforts.
“There are moments in the life of a man when the heart wants to continue, but duty demands sacrifice. Moments when one must quietly set aside personal ambition, not because the dream has died, but because the family he loves must not be made to carry his burden. Today, I find myself at such a painful moment,” he wrote.
He disclosed that after many nights of prayer, sober reflection and consultations with his family, legal team, party elders, campaign team and trusted supporters, he concluded that his present situation must not become an additional burden on the NPP.
“This is not the decision my heart desired, but sometimes, true love requires us to release what we deeply want in order to protect what we love even more,” he added.
Recounting his years of service, Chairman Wontumi said he had served the party with everything within him, walking through heat and rain, travelling to remote communities and standing with the grassroots in both victory and defeat.
“For many years, I have served the NPP with everything within me… The NPP is not merely a political party to me. It is my family. It is my home. It is a cause to which I have dedicated a significant part of my life,” he stated.
He explained that the party, already carrying the pain of electoral defeat and the huge responsibility of preparing for the future, should not be made to carry his personal weight.
“That is why I cannot allow my present situation or personal ambition to distract the party from the difficult work of rebuilding. I cannot ask the party to carry my weight when it is already carrying the pain of defeat and the enormous responsibility of preparing for the battle ahead. I would rather carry this pain quietly than allow the party I love to suffer because of me,” he said.
He further sympathized with his supporters across the 16 regions, acknowledging that the decision would be painful for many who had sacrificed for his campaign.
“To my teeming supporters across all sixteen regions, I know this message will hurt. I know many of you will read it with tears in your eyes because I understand the sacrifices you have made for this journey,” he said.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
