News
Commercial sex worker jailed for swindling mechanic
The commercial sex worker who swindled an Aflao-based mechanic after spending the night with him in a hotel in Accra, has been sentenced to six months in prison by an Accra Circuit Court.
The 22-year-old convict, Ms. Juliet FosuaAkos charged the victim, Mr Godwin Babate who had travelled from Aflao in the Volta Region to the national capital, Accra, to buy some spare parts at AbosseyOkai GH¢50.00 to spend the night with him at the Grand View Hotel, Kantamanto, on January 16, 2020, but ended up stealing all his foreign currency about CFA 2 million (GH¢23,500.00) and a mobile phone worth GH¢1,000.00.
Though she pleaded not guilty to the offence of stealing and was granted GH¢50,000.00 bail with two sureties who should be public servants and earning not less than GH¢1,500.00 a month, the Accra Circuit Court “One” presided by Madam Susana Eduful, however, found her guilty after a full trial and convicted her accordingly.
The prosecutor, Inspector Samuel Ahiabor pleaded with the court to release the GH¢200.00 cash, a silver chain, a gas cylinder and the mobile phone the police retrieved from the convict, to the victim.
MsFosua had earlier told the Railway Police who effected her arrest that she used part of the booty to buy the items and gave the breakdown as follows: That she bought the silver chain at GH¢460.00, a dress at GH¢100.00 and gave GH¢300.00 to her mother but failed to disclose where the rest of the money was.
According to the prosecutor, the victim is still roaming the streets of Accra homeless for the fear that those car owners who gave him the money to come to Accra and buy the spare parts to fix their vehicles, would not spare his life, if he returns to Aflao to give “a situationalreport”on the loss of their money.
The facts are that Mr. Godwin Babate came down to Accra on January 15, 2020 to buy some car parts and decided to engage a prostitute who he could spend the night with so he went to Okaishie in Accra and saw the convict.
Inspector Ahiabor said that in the course of bargaining, Juliet FosuaAkos charged the complainant (Mr. Babate) GH¢50.00 for the night and both of them went to a hotel to sleep.
He said that after the two persons had enjoyed themselves sexually, the victim dozed off so the convict saw it as an opportunity to steal CFA 2,005,000 (GH¢23,500.00) from a wardrobe and an Infinix mobile phone valued at GH¢1,000.00 and sneaked out of the hotel room.
The prosecutor said that when the mechanic woke up the following day at about 4:00am and detected the theft of his cash and mobile phone, he suspected no other person than the commercial sex worker who he enjoyed with at night.
According to Inspector Ahiabor the victim reported the matter to the hotel manager and he (hotel manager) accompanied him to the Railway Police Station to lodge an official complaint leading to the arrest of Ms. Juliet FosuaAkos in her hideout in Accra through the help of another person.
He said that the convict admitted the commission of the offence in her caution statement.
The police retrieved the item which included a silver chain, a gas cylinder, and amobile phone and an amount of GH¢200.00 cash from her.
By Castro Zangina- Tong
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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