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4 students of Comboni arrested for vandalising property at SOGASCO
Four students of Comboni Vocational Technical School (CVTS) have been arrested by the Sogakope District Police Command for allegedly vandalising the main gate of Sogakope Senior High School (SOGASCO) in the South Tongu District of the Volta region.
The incident reportedly occurred on Sunday, March 10, 2024, around 1:00am. Sliding glasses of the main entrance of SOGASCO were allegedly shattered, while mosquito nets of one of the classroom blocks were also torched.
Confirming the incident to JOY News, Headmaster of SOGASCO, Newman Dziedzoave said that even though calm has been restored, four students and four town folks have been picked up by the police in connection with the incident.
“Let me assure you the situation is almost under control. Some arrests have been made this morning by the police and the NIB. So those who were actually behind the destruction, four of them have been picked, and others are on the run. So the four that have been picked are assisting the police with the investigation, together with four additional town boys who happened to be old students of Cambodia, which we suspect were hired to assist them. So the destruction is not only the gate, but one of the classroom blocks as well, “the headmaster confirmed.
Explaining what led to the incident, he said the friction between the two schools started when a student from SOGASCO was admitted to Comboni Hospital a few weeks ago.
“About two weeks ago, a student of ours fell sick, and then one of the officers in the cadet took him to Comboni Hospital. At the hospital, he came out to buy something at the hospital gate for his colleague who was inside the yard. So when he came out, three Comboni students accosted him that he should tuck in his shirt,” he said.
Mr Dziedzoave explained that the SOGASCO student declined by explaining that he’s also a senior in another school and that they did not have any authority to ask him to tuck in at another school. However, they threatened to beat him up if he refused to obey their orders. Sensing danger, he complied and knelt.
According to Mr Dziedzoave, “whilst kneeling, they took videos of him then later, these videos that they took of him, they posted it on their platform that they have conquered SOGASCO.”
This, he said, infuriated the entire student body of SOGASCO. “So on 6th March 2024, when they came for the independence anniversary parade in our school, our students also asked those who put their shirts on to tuck in, but they refused.”
The headmaster indicated that was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
“So that brought about an exchange. They were throwing stones here and there. And so one of the drivers from Convotech got injured during the process.”
Mr Dziedzoave explained further that even though they could not establish who hit the driver with the stone, they decided to send him to the hospital for medical attention.
However, when the driver was discharged, they took him to the Campus of Comboni only for him to be attacked again by the students.
“So on Thursday, the driver was discharged. We sent him to his campus. When they realised that we were coming from SOGASCO, they started throwing stones at the vehicle, which we reported to the police and their principal. And this morning, this is what they have done to us again.”
Joy News sources within the Sogakope District Police command say the four are still in police custody assisting the investigation. A District Security Council (DISEC) meeting is scheduled on Monday, March 11, 2024, to address the issue. Meanwhile, some students of SOGASCO have told Joy News they are living in fear.
But a former National President of the SOGASCO Old Students Association (SOSA), and an aspiring Member of Parliament (MP) on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the South Tongu Constituency, Maxwell Lukutor, has assured that he would help mediate to find lasting peace between the two schools.
Source:Myjoyonline.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
