Drama in court … accused blames victim’s father for indecent assault
A 42-year-oldcar washer, Mr. Francis Agyei popularly called Shaba who is standing trial for alleged indecent assault of an 11-year-old school girl gave the people in the Accra Circuit Court ‘5’ good doses of laughter on Tuesday when he told the Court that it was rather the victim who attempted to kiss him.
He said that when he refused to accede to the victim’s advances, she told him (accused) that he was not a guy.
Hear him: “I did not touch her. She rather wanted to Kiss me and when I refused, she told me that I was not a guy,” thus drawing laughter from those in the courtroom.
But the victim (name withheld) vehemently denied Mr. Agyei’s assertion when she was cross-examined during a video conference.
She said that it was the accused who covered her mouth with a piece of cloth, dragged her to his room after she had finished easing herself in a toilet closed to his room, undressed her and inserted his finger into her vagina.
The accused had early on told the Court presided by Mrs. Christiana Cann in his cross-examination that, it was the father of the victim, Detective Sergeant Lawrence who inserted his finger into the vagina of his biological daughter when he traced and found her with Mr. Agyei, to ascertain whether the accused had slept with her.
“It is the man who “finger-printed” his daughter not me” he said, throwing the entire Courtroom into a “pool” of laughter.
Shaba is currently on a GH¢50,000.00 bail with three sureties, two to be justified.
He has, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge of indecent assault.
The prosecutor, Sergeant Opoku Aniagyei said that at about 12:30pm on July 20, 2021, at the Central Police Barracks in Accra, the accused removed the underwear and blouse of the victim and inserted his finger into her vagina.
He said that the victim, a class six pupil, was the biological daughter of the complainant, D/Sgt Lawrence Tettey, while the accused Mr. Francis Agyei, a car washer also lived in the same house with him.
He said that the victim on that fateful day went to their washroom to attend to call of nature when the accused who was within the facility, and in his boxer shorts held and dragged her to one of the rooms, removed her underwear and blouse, and inserted his finger into her vagina.
The prosecutor said that the complainant who was waiting for her daughter (victim) around the washroom made a follow up to the toilet to call her because she was keeping long.
Sgt. Aniagyei said that on reaching the washroom, the complainant saw only the skirt of the victim and decided to turn back but heard some voices in one of the rooms and knocked to find out those inside.
He said the accused responded and the complainant requested to know who was inside the room which he (accused) answered that he was alone.
Not satisfied with the answer, the complainant opened the door and saw the victim naked in the room. He arrested the accused to the Accra Central Police Station and lodged a complaint where a medical form was issued to him (complainant) to take the victim to the hospital for treatment.
By Castro Zangina-Tong
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has announced the commencement of enforcement of the National Identity Register (Amendment) Regulations, 2026 (L.I. 2523), warning institutions that fail to comply with the new requirements of possible fines of up to 2,000 penalty units.
The Authority says it will deploy a Biometric Verification Implementation Task Force to inspect institutions and ensure they comply with the regulations, following the expiration of a three-month grace period granted to businesses and public institutions.
Speaking at a press briefing in Accra on Monday, November 2, 2026, the NIA’s Corporate Affairs representative, William Ampomah Emmanuel Darlas, said the Authority had completed its public education and stakeholder engagement activities and was now moving into the enforcement and compliance monitoring phase.
He explained that the regulations require institutions that verify the identities of customers or applicants as part of their operations to use the NIA’s approved biometric verification platform instead of relying solely on visual inspection of the Ghana Card.
Under the new rules, institutions are prohibited from photocopying, scanning or keeping copies of the Ghana Card for identity verification purposes.
Mr Darlas stressed that simply collecting a customer’s Ghana Card, looking at the photograph and comparing it with the person presenting it would no longer be accepted as a valid method of identity verification.
He, however, clarified that the Ghana Card remains the country’s official national identity document and that citizens are not required to register for a new card or capture their biometrics again under the new regulations.
He said the new system is intended to reduce identity fraud, impersonation and other crimes by ensuring that the person presenting the Ghana Card is the actual owner.
According to him, the biometric verification process will rely on information already captured during Ghana Card registration, including fingerprints, iris details and facial features stored in the card’s chip.
Mr Darlas warned institutions against using third-party companies or individuals to access the NIA’s identity verification platform, insisting that the Authority does not work with intermediaries.
He said institutions seeking access to the National Identity Register must deal directly with the NIA and complete its official onboarding process.
The process requires institutions to prove that they are legally registered companies in Ghana, obtain certification from the Data Protection Commission and work with the NIA’s technical team to establish the necessary connection to its platform.
He further cautioned institutions already connected to the platform against subletting their access to other businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises.
He disclosed that the Authority had received reports of some institutions providing their verification services to other businesses without the NIA’s approval and warned that those involved would face legal action.
Mr Darlas said organisations that fail to comply with L.I. 2523 could face fines ranging from 500 to 2,000 penalty units, depending on the nature of the offence.
He explained that the NIA does not have the authority to impose the fines directly but would take offenders to court for the appropriate punishment.
He indicated that Institutions found guilty could also face additional administrative measures, including being barred from accessing the NIA’s verification platform in the future.
The NIA representative further clarified that the new regulations do not prohibit all institutions from physically using the Ghana Card during transactions.
The Managing Director of the Ghana Publishing Company Limited, Nana Kwesi Boatey, has revealed how he transformed a major overstaffing challenge into a success story through the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, November 2, Mr. Boatey disclosed that when he assumed office in February 2025, and inherited a bloated workforce of 250 employees doing work that could be efficiently handled by 150 people, a situation that created serious liquidity challenges for the state-owned company.
Instead of resorting to downsizing, he adopted an innovative approach by instituting a 24-hour operational system.
Under the new system, staff were redistributed across three shifts: 7 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., 10 a.m. – 7 p.m., and 10 p.m. – 4:30 a.m.
This not only ensured optimal use of labour but also maximized machine utilization and improved overall output.
According to him, the single move redefined the productivity culture within the company, reinforcing discipline, accountability, and efficiency.
The Ghana Publishing Company’s turnaround is being cited as a practical example of how the 24-Hour Economy policy can drive growth without job losses.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
