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Ofosu Ampofo, Kwaku Boahen case: A-G asked to file statement of prosecution witness
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
Troubled and anxious citizens in Damongo of the Savannah Region have expressed concerns about the number of young people, believed to be under the age of 18, involved in ‘shisha’ smoking in pubs and drinking spots within the township.
Eyewitnesses say the minors were seen patronising nightlife venues, where Shisha smoking happen in the open.
The situation has sparked renewed public concern over the enforcement of child protection laws and regulations governing the operations of entertainment centres in the municipality and country as a whole.
An eyewitness, who spoke to The Spectator on conditions of anonymity for security reasons, noted that the situation was becoming increasingly common.
“This is not a one-off incident. It is becoming very common, but residents like us cannot openly report or speak about it because our lives will be at risk,” he said.
Under Ghanaian law, minors were prohibited from patronising Shisha.
Public health experts have consistently warned that shisha use exposes users to harmful substances that can negatively affect brain development, respiratory health, and overall well-being, particularly among young people.
The residents believe the alleged incidents point to broader challenges relating to youth supervision, substance abuse, and weak enforcement of existing regulations and have called on municipal authorities, security agencies, and regulatory bodies to intensify monitoring of pubs and entertainment centres to ensure compliance with the law.
In an effort to address the menace, Mr Salisu Be-Awurbi, the Savannah Regional Minister, has led public education campaigns, engaged security agencies, and supported enforcement actions to address the rising use of illicit substances in the region.
Wura Kelly Seidu Boresah I, the Chief of Damongo, has also called on all stakeholders including parents, community leaders, institutions, and young people to actively support efforts to curb drug abuse, warning that the rising consumption of hard drugs poses a serious health threat to the future of the youth in the Savannah Region.
He also cautioned individuals involved in the sale and distribution of illicit drugs to immediately desist from the practice, stressing that offenders will face arrest and prosecution in accordance with the law.
From Geoffrey Buta, Damongo, Savannah Region
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Dr Theresa Baffour, an advocate for ending violence and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SAHM SAHW Foundation, has said that society plays a critical and pivotal role in breaking the cycle of domestic violence.
According to her, domestic violence is a major contributor of making women, who are mostly the victims, mentally derailed and unable to engage in economic activities.
She said this when the foundation called on the Ga Mantse, Nii Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, to solicit support for the initiative by the “Strong and Healthy Minds, Strong and Healthy Women” (SAHM SAHW) to combat domestic violence within the Ga State.
The visit was occasioned by the fact that domestic violence cases have become quite prevalent in the Ga communities and is retarding growth.
According to her, the canker was an impediment to national development because the victims were usually tortured and would have to go through series of therapies to return to the right state of mind.
Dr Baffour mentioned that Gender-Based Violence (GBV) places a mental toll on women, and was, therefore, important to break the cycle through comprehensive mental health support, crisis intervention and empowerment programmes in communities with high rates of GBV.
This intervention, she underscored, would help in empowering the denigrated victim of domestic violence to soundly heal, build and thrive.
Dr Baffour added that the initiative would provide holistic, trauma-informed mental health care and advocacy for young women affected by domestic violence.
According to her, the above statement would create safe spaces for healing and equipping them with entrepreneurial skills for renewed hope and empowered life.
The Ga Mantse pledged his support for the laudable initiative to combat domestic violence and also acknowledged the need to address it in the Ga State.
Further endorsement came from Justice Julia Naa-Yarley Adjei Amoah, Chief of Staff at the Office of the Ga Mantse, as she commended the team of SAHM SAHW Foundation for taking a bold step to end the canker in the Greater Accra.
She added that it was a step in the right direction to save vulnerable women from torture, stress and emotional abuse.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
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