Entertainment
U.S court dismisses fraud case against Hushpuppi’s alleged accomplice
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A United States court has dismissed a case against Olalekan Ponle, popularly known on social media as Woodbery, who was an alleged accomplice to Hushpuppi.
Woodberry was arrested alongside his fellow Nigerian friend, Ramon Abbas (Hushpuppi) in the United Arab Emirate on June 10 for multiple fraud charges after a raid by operatives of the Dubai crime unit. The duo was extradited to the U.S. on July 2.
In a report by premiumtimesng.com the United States government on Monday filed a motion through its attorney, John R. Lausch, requesting that the case against Mr Ponle should be dismissed without prejudice.
“Counsel for the government has spoken with counsel for the defendant and defendant’s counsel has no objection to this motion. Respectfully submitted,” Mr Lausch stated. He said it is in pursuant with Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure 48, which states that the government may, with leave of court, dismiss an indictment, information, or complaint.
Also, the government may not dismiss the prosecution during the trial without the defendant’s consent. A court order issued by Judge Robert W. Gettleman on Tuesday said the government’s motion to dismiss the complaint without prejudice was granted.
“Without objection, the complaint against defendant Ponle is dismissed without prejudice. Motion presentment hearing set for 7/23/2020 is stricken,” Mr Gettleman ruled. When a case is dismissed with prejudice, it is over and done with, once and for all, and can’t be brought back to court.
Ghana’s comedy industry would take centre stage today, when the sixth edition of the Ghana Comedy Awards is held at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Ridge, Accra.
The event, which has become the country’s premier platform for recognising excellence in comedy since it rebranded from the Comedy and Poetry Awards, would celebrate comedians whose performances and contributions stood out between January 1 and December 31, 2025. 
This year’s ceremony would begin with a red-carpet session at 7:00 p.m., followed by the main awards event at 8:30 p.m.
Organisers have promised an evening of entertainment featuring some of Ghana’s foremost comedy talents, including Lekzy, Jeneral Ntatia, Kojo PJay, Oh Joo, Alo Wess, Ranzy Ray and Jerry Ashinyo.
Musical performances are also expected to complement the comedy acts.
Media personality Kwame Dadzie would play host for the event, which is expected to attract comedians, entertainers and fans from across the country.
Tickets for the awards are selling at GH¢200 for the silver package and GH¢300 for Gold.
The organisers have also urged the public to support their favourite nominees by voting before polls close at 6:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 1. Voting can be done by dialling 71333*009# and entering the nominee’s code.
Beyond honouring outstanding performers, the Ghana Comedy Awards seeks to celebrate the growth of Ghana’s comedy industry and the talents who continue to entertain audiences nationwide. -GNA
After years of development, funding, and creative grit, Ghanaian feature film “Ego Reach We All” has earned an official nomination to make its world premiere at the 79th Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland this month.
Formerly titled Vagabonds, the 105-minute drama was written and directed by Amartei Armar and produced by Yemoh Ike.
It marks one of the biggest international breakthroughs for Ghanaian cinema in recent years.
The film was shot entirely in Ghana with a Ghanaian cast and crew, grounding it in authentic local culture.
Post-production was completed in France, a collaboration that Director Amartei Armar says reflects the film’s spirit, “A Ghanaian story told with the world.”
The journey began in 2018 when the short film version won at the Montreal World Film Festival, an Oscar-qualifying event.
From there, ‘Ego Reach We All’ grew into a full-length feature backed by some of the most respected names in global film development: Winner – Cannes Focus CoPro, Recipient – Red Sea Development Fund, Honoree – Red Sea Souk Award and Backed by – Red Sea Productions Fund.
Industry watchers have called it one of the most promising African film projects to emerge in the last decade.
Beyond awards, the project was shaped in top international labs.
Armar was selected for the Heyazah Screening Lab in Doha, Qatar, to refine the film’s narrative.
Producer, Yemoh Ike joined the prestigious, 2023 EAVE Producers Programme under a CNC scholarship, with training sessions in Luxembourg, Austria, and the Netherlands.
Most recently, the film was chosen for the 2025 Atlas Workshop in Marrakesh, Morocco, cementing its place in global cinema circles.
Casts include, Idrissu Tontie, Dorothy Adobea Tandoh, Emmanuel Wilberforce, Barbara Yong Jin, Emmanuel Owusu Ofori, O’Bryan Kwame Enyan, Gabriel Narh Addo, Nelly Bilson, and Kwame Brenya.
For the team, Locarno is not just a festival slot. It’s validation that Ghanaian stories, told by Ghanaians, can compete on the world’s most respected stages.
“Principal photography was done entirely by Ghanaian creatives,” the producers noted.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
