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Man goes blind after assault, weeps in court room during judgement
A 78-year-old man who has become blind following an attack on him at a cemetery at Teshie in Accra without any provocation, wept in acc High Court (Criminal Court ‘3’) on the day the court was about to pronounce judgement on his attackers.
Nii Ashiboi Mensah popularly called Nii Santo within the Teshie Community, was slashed on his neck in 2014, by Mr. Joseph Ashikwei Tigany, who has been sentenced to 25 years in prison by Her Ladyship, Mrs. Justice Mary M.E. Nsenkyire.
The court again jailed Daniel Ashitei, Philip Boye and Nii Armah 15 years each for finding them guilty of conspiracy to commit crime but considered the advanced age of nii Agoe Kaatso who is about 83 years, and sentenced him to one month imprisonment also on the same charge of conspiracy.
Mr. Santo, who had harboured some pain for the seven years that the case was pending in court, could no longer control his emotions and wept when the judge was recapitulating (recap) the brief facts of the case as presented by the sate prosecution.
She said that the victim, Nii Ashiboi Mensah popularly called Nii Santo was a retired driver and lived at Teshie Camp 2, while the five convicts were also drivers but resided at Teshie Bush Road.
She said that the acting Dzaasetse of Lanshie Quarter by name Nii Jerry died and during preparations for his funeral, a faction belonging to the same Lanshie Quarter and headed by a man called Nii Kwabotwe was not in agreement that the deceased (Nii Jerry) should be buried at the Lanshie Royal Mausoleum at Teshie.
According to prosecution this brought a misunderstanding between the two factions on April 24, 2014, which the Municipal Security Committee (MUSEC) of LEKMA held a meeting with them (factions) to settle the matter.
Prosecution claimed that during the meeting, Nii Agoe Kaatso (then 5th Accused) threatened to cut the head of the victim if he stepped foot at the cemetery to dig a grave for the burial of Nii Jerry.
The facts continued that on April 25, 2014, Nii Santo (victim) who had sent some young men to go and dig a grave at the Royal Mausoleum, got a phone call from one of them (young men) to the effect that some people from the Nii Kwabotwe faction had come to attack them at the cemetery.
Upon the receipt of this information, the victim rushed to the place (Royal Mausoleum) and met Nii Armah Agbeko (then 4th Accused) standing on the cemetery wall.
Ms Craig (Prosecutor) said that the victim engaged him (Agbeko) in a conversation to impress upon his brothers to stop fighting the men he (victim) had sent.
She said that while the victim was still talking with Nii Armah Agbeko, they heard shouts from the cemetery compelling the two of them to rush to the place to see what was amiss.
Prosecution said that when the victim entered the cemetery, he saw Joseph Ashikwei Tigany (then 1st Accused), Daniel Ashitei (then 2nd Accused), Philip Boye (then 3rd Accused) with others struggling with the young men he had sent to dig the grave.
Ms Craig said that as the victim proceeded to the place the young men were struggling, he was met mid-way by Daniel Ashitei who held his hands together, and Joseph Ashikwei Tigany emerged from his (victim’s) left hand side and slashed his neck with a knife whilst Philip Boye and Nii Armah Agbeko looked on saying “today you are going to die”.
“Nii Santo was not the only person who sustained injuries; two other men who were part of the digging also sustained injuries as one had his forehead slashed and the other his hand.
“The victim, Nii Santo, was rushed to the hospital and had to be resuscitated after which he was rushed to the theatre to have the injury to the neck sutured.
“The doctor who attended to the victim issued him with a medical report which stated among other things that the wound inflicted on the victim’s neck by the 1st accused (Joseph Ashikwei Tigany) was life threatening,” prosecution concluded.
Passing sentence, Mrs Justice Mary Nsenkyire said, “The jurors having returned a verdict of guilty on all counts, I hereby convict all the accused persons with the offence of conspiracy to commit crime to wit causing harm with the use of offensive weapon. But the first accused has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment for causing harm.”
By Castro Zangina-Tong
The Global Network of Export-Import Banks and Development Finance Institutions (G-NEXID) successfully held its sixth (6th) Exchange Programme, hosted by the Ghana Export – Import Bank (GEXIM) Bank in Accra from March 22 to 23 March.
The event brought together member institutions, partner organisations and Ghanaian public entities to advance dialogue on South-South trade, investment and development finance, while also creating opportunities for knowledge-sharing and institutional cooperation.
Organised as a capacity-building and networking platform, the 2026 edition of the G-NEXID Exchange focused on GEXIM’s experience in developing innovative solutions to promote intra-African and extra-African trade.
It also highlighted trade and investment opportunities in Ghana, particularly in the context of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and broader national development initiatives.
The Exchange Programme forms part of G-NEXID’s mandate to foster cooperation among export-import banks and development finance institutions in support of South-South trade and investment.
This 6th edition follows earlier successful programmes hosted by India Exim Bank (2016), BNDES (2017), Indonesia Eximbank (2018), Afreximbank (2019) and Saudi EXIM Bank (2025).
On the first day, participants were presented with G-NEXID institutional information and received an update on the Network’s 2026 work programme.
There were a series of substantive presentations, including an overview of the Ghanaian economy by the Ministry of Finance, with particular attention to debt-related challenges; a presentation by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), on investment opportunities in the country; and institutional presentations by GEXIM and Development Bank Ghana (DBG) on their respective mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Discussions during the sessions underscored strong interest in sector-focused webinars and business dialogues, particularly in agribusiness value chains such as poultry and rice.
Participants also emphasized the importance of continued information exchange and the sharing of best practices, especially in the area of guarantees.
The second day opened with a presentation on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, a national economic transformation strategy launched by President John Dramani Mahama in July 2025.
The initiative aims to enhance economic productivity through continuous industrial activity, accelerated export development and strategic import substitution.
As the programme is expected to mobilise both private and development capital, it presents concrete opportunities for G-NEXID members in areas such as co-financing, guarantees, trade finance and technical cooperation.
The programme also featured institutional presentations by guest organisations, namely the African Guarantee and Economic Cooperation Fund (FAGACE) and the West African Development Bank (BOAD), which shared their mandates, initiatives, products and services.
Following these exchanges, the G-NEXID Secretariat held bilateral discussions with both institutions as part of the Network’s ongoing membership drive.
Participants further benefited from a presentation by the Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB), as well as a showcase of GEXIM’s key pipeline projects.
On the margins of the Exchange Programme, G-NEXID members also held their 20th Annual General Assembly Meeting to review progress and discuss strategic priorities.
Following the event, participants joined the GEXIM@10 International Conference, held from March 24-25, 2026 under the theme, “A Decade of Enabling Export Trade and Industrial Transformation: Resetting GEXIM for the Next Frontier.”
The conference provided an important platform for exploring how Ghana can strengthen its transition from a primary commodity exporter to a more competitive player in value-added trade and industrial development.
Source – G-NEXID
President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, signed five bills including three amendment bills passed by Parliament into law.
They are: Security and Intelligence Agencies Bill, 2025; University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Bill, 2025; Ghana Deposit Protection (Amendment) Bill, 2025; Growth and Sustainability Levy (Amendment) Bill, 2026; and Education Regulatory Bodies (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
In a brief remark after assenting to the bills, President Mahama explained that the Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2026, scraps the Office of Minister of National Security and frees the President’s to appoint any Minister to supervise the security agencies.
He said it also reverses the name of the office of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to the original name, Bureau of National Intelligence, (BNI).
This the President said, addresses the confusion between that security agency and a well-known Ghanaian financial institution, the National Investment Bank.
President Mahama also noted that the University of Engineering and Agricultural Sciences Act, 2026, establishes another University in the Eastern Region, at Bonsu, with three campuses – the main campus at Bonsu in the Eastern Region, with the second campus to be cited at Ohawu in the Oti Region.
The third, the Presdient assed will be located at Acherensua in the Ahafo Region.
Touching on the Amendment to the Growth and Sustainability Levy Act, the President said, “As you’re aware, the act was amended to increase it from 1% to 3%, and so this act reduces it again. That is the levy on mining companies. It reduces it again to 1%, because of the introduction of the sliding scale of royalties.”
He also spoke to the passage of the Government Education Regulatory Bodies Amendment Act, emphasising that amends Act 1023 to grant greater flexibility to private tertiary institutions and the option to Charter.
The Ghana Deposit Protection Amendment Act, the President concluded, is an amendment to an original act that was supposed to guarantee deposits held in commercial banks or financial institutions.
It basically expands protection to include mobile money wallets and other digital platforms, ensuring a wider scope of digital financial assets are secured.
The signing ceremony, was witnessed by the Clerk of Parliament, Mr. Ebenezer Ahumah Djietror, Secretary to the President, Dr Callistus Mahama, the Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akrutinga Ayine, Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, Joyce Bawa Mogtari, a Senior Presidential Advisor and a Special Aide to the President, Finance Minister, Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, and the Vice President, Professor Jane Naana Opoku Agyemang.
