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Ofosu Ampofo, Kwaku Boahen case: A-G asked to file statement of prosecution witness
An Accra High Court on Friday directed the Attorney-General (A-G) to file the statement of the second prosecution witness in the trial of National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman, Samuel Ofosu Ampofo, and Mr Anthony Kwaku Boahen, Deputy Communications Director of the party, by June 19, 2020.
This followed an application to the court by Mr Ashong Okai, a Senior State Attorney, for the prosecution to be given time to file the statements.
Meanwhile, the accused were challenging the constitutionality of the tendering in of some documents in the trial, which included an audio tape at the Supreme Court.
Mr Tony Lithur, counsel for Mr -Ampofo told the Court that he would seek an earlier date at the Supreme Court (SC) for the hearing of that application on the tendered evidence.
The Court presided over by Justice Samuel K. Asiedu has scheduled the trial dates to July 2, 3, 9, 10, 16 and 17, 2020.
Earlier, Counsel for Mr Ampofo, who is also the NDC, applied for a stay of proceedings, but the court refused.
However, counsel went ahead to appeal against the refusal at the Court of Appeal, but later withdrew that appeal before proceeding to the SC.
The lawyer had earlier cited Rule 27, of which Justice Asiedu in his ruling, said that it had become a common practice for lawyers to cite Rule 27 as their authority when applying for stay of proceedings.
He said, however, that the inherent power to stay proceedings applied to civil cases not criminal proceedings, adding that Rule 27 did not apply in criminal cases but fell under part two of the rules to civil cases brought before the Court of Appeal.
Mr Lithur told the Court that the trial could only proceed if the automatic seven days pending the appeal to quash the admission of the witness statement by the court had elapsed.
The A-G said the first prosecution witness in his evidence-in-chief identified his signature on the witness statement and did not object to his witness statement during the Case Management Conference stage.
Mr Ampofo and Mr Boahen are facing charges, including, conspiracy to cause harm and assault on Professor Emmanuel Asante, Chairman of the National Peace Council, and Madam Jean Mensa, the Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson.
They are on a GH¢100,000.00 bail each with a surety each.
It would be recalled that on January 31, 2019, a by-election was conducted at the Ayawaso West Wuogon Constituency as a result of the demise of its Member of Parliament.
Prosecution said there were disturbances in the course of the elections and on February 3, Mr Ofosu-Ampofo, met the party’s communications directors at its headquarters, at Adabraka, a suburb of Accra.
The court heard that the meeting was recorded of which on that audio tape, that was circulated later in a cross-section of the media, contained a set-up of a road-map of criminal activities targeted at the Chairperson of the EC and the chairman of the National Peace Council.
Prosecution said the tape was intercepted by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ghana Police Service.
The prosecution said Mr Ofosu Ampofo on the audio also incited NDC communicators to molest both the EC and Peace Council Chairpersons.
The court heard that that the orchestrated electoral violence plot was going to be attributed to the New Patriotic Party. – GNA
The Ghana Tourism Development Company, GTDC, under the leadership of Prof.Kobby Mensah has launched GTDC Campus Tourism Office at the University of Ghana.
The initiative aims to promote educational and domestic tourism by providing structured campus tour experiences showcasing key heritage sites, including the Archaeology Museum and the School of Performing Arts.
It will also offer students their first travel experience across the continent and inculcate in them love to visit Ghana’s heritage sites.
Addressing the gathering at the launch yesterday, the Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, described tourism as a vehicle for education and heritage preservation, stressing that the sector must inspire citizens to value and protect national culture for future generations.
The minister highlighted tourism’s connection to disciplines such as history, the arts, economics and environmental science.
The minister further noted that the private sector is the engine of tourism economy, adding that the engines require fuel, which is talents.” by investing in these young people today, you are securing the quality, the innovation and competitiveness of our own industry for tomorrow.
She added that the establishment of the office represents a deliberate investment in the intellectual capital of the country.
The GTDC boss, Prof.Kobby Mensah, said,”at GTDC, we believe that if our tourism has to be sustainable, we have to promote domestic tourism and a very big part of it is getting students to appreciate tourism and helping them to organise tours.”
He added that the University of Ghana itself is a huge heritage site which must be explored.
Prof.Kobby Mensah noted that the initiative, which is one of many to be established across the country, is a joint partnership between GTDC and University of Ghana.
The Vice Chancellor of the University, Prof.Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, said the University is a custodian of heritage which goes beyond the structures and welcomed the establishment of the first Campus Tourism Office.
She was optimistic that the office would be put to good use to achieve the intended purpose.
The launch brought together Stakeholders reaffirming their commitment to nurturing future tourism and hospitality professionals.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
Ghana has officially accepted an invitation to serve as Guest Country at Burkina Faso’s 22nd National Culture Week in Bobo-Dioulasso from April 22 to May 2, 2026.
The invitation was extended by Burkina Faso’s Minister of Communication, Culture, Arts and Tourism, Gilbert Noël Ouédraogo, accompanied by the Ambassador of Burkina Faso to Ghana, H.E. David Kabré.
Receiving the delegation, Abla Dzifa Gomashie reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to deepening cultural diplomacy and strengthening historic ties between the two nations.
She noted that the festival will create opportunities for young creatives, expand exhibition platforms and promote commercial exchange within the creative sector.
The event will feature cultural performances, a community village and gastronomy fair, an arts market, literary engagements, and a craft and trade fair.
Ghana’s participation is expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between John Dramani Mahama and Ibrahim Traoré, while fostering collaboration within the creative ecosystems of both countries.
