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Amamole, Ablekuma lands not yours – SC declares
The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision, ruled on July 12, 2023, that Amamole and Ablekuma lands in the Greater Accra Region do not belong to Nii Ahinquasro Baddoo, Nii Kwaku Foso III, Albert Badu and Ofori Badu, who wanted to claim the said lands.
The five-member-panel of judges was presided over by Justice P. Baffoe-Bonnie.
The rest are, Professor Justice N. A. Kotey. Justice M. Owusu (Ms), Justice Lovelace-Johnson (Ms) and Justice E. Yonny-Kulendi.
The Supreme Court held that, the plaintiffs tried to subvert the existing judgement by re-litigating in a different suit, seeking to be given the capacity to deal with Ablekuma land for which they have been declared “to lack the capacity to do so.”
“Beyond the lack of capacity, the plaintiffs did not adduce cogent evidence to establish that, they are the owners of Ablekuma and Amamole lands and that, Amamole land is within Ablekuma land. He who alleges, must prove.
“The plaintiffs had the duty to prove their claim on a balance of probabilities and they failed to do so.
“The appeal of the defendants therefore succeeds and is hereby allowed. The judgement of the Court of Appeal dated 21st May, 2020, which affirmed the decision of the High Court dated 31st May, 2017, is hereby set aside, together with its consequential orders.”
The defendants, Nii Tetteh Okpe II (now deceased), Numo Narteh, Samuel Laryea, Eshmael Addo, James Tetteh and Joseph Lartey, appealed to the Supreme Court, after the High Court and the Court of Appeal earlier gave judgement in favour of the plaintiffs.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the Court of Appeal, the defendants on May 26, 2020, filed an appeal, praying the Supreme Court to reverse the judgement of the Court of Appeal.
The plaintiffs were represented by Mr T. N. Ward Brew, while the defendants were also represented by Mr Christopher King.
By Francis Xah
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
