News
Woman, 2 others jailed for phone robbery
The Ho Circuit Court has sentenced a woman and two others to a total of 19 years imprisonment in hard labour for robbery.
Mercy Sokpe, 22, Atsu Kamasa, 25 years and Godfred Dzidonu, 19, admitted conspiring to rob a man of his mobile phone. They were convicted on their own plea.
The Court, presided over by Mr Osman Abdul Hakeem sentenced Mercy, Atsu and Godfred to three years each on the charge of conspiracy to commit robbery whilst Atsu and Godfred were additionally sentenced to five years each for robbery.
Giving the facts, Prosecution said on May 4, about 4:30pm, the convicts planned to rob Elijah Torgbedzi, 21, the complainant, of his iPhone 6s mobile phone valued GH¢700 around the Ho central market.
The Court heard that Mercy initially approached the complainant and requested for his iPhone to take a selfie.
The complainant obliged and in the process of taking the selfie, she signaled her two accomplices who attacked the complainant with a pair of scissors and the three bolted with the iPhone, the Court heard.
The Court was told that the complainant raised the alarm, where Godfred was arrested with the iPhone and he was handed over to the Police.
Prosecution said that Police investigations led to the arrest of Mercy and Atsu from their hideouts in Ho. –GNA
The Ghana National Gas Company has denied allegations of wrongdoing in its recent procurement and insurance contract renewals.
In a press statement issued in Accra on April 13, 2026, the company explained that concerns raised in some media reports were linked to a change in its lead insurer.
It noted that the change followed the expiration of previous insurance contracts at the end of the year.
The company stressed that the new insurance arrangements are lawful and form part of efforts to improve its risk management system to protect its assets.
It further indicated that all contracts awarded so far have gone through the required approval processes by the Public Procurement Authority after receiving financial clearance from the Ministry of Finance.
The statement, signed by the Head of Corporate Affairs, Richard Ernest Kirk-Mensah, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
It added that management remains focused on delivering gas efficiently to meet the country’s energy needs while continuing to strengthen internal systems to ensure good corporate governance and compliance.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana has clarified that it now supports the implementation of the Publican Artificial Intelligence system at the country’s ports, following earlier concerns raised in 2025.
In a press statement issued on April 9, the Association explained that claims suggesting it still opposes the system are misleading and based on outdated information from a December 18, 2025 media publication.
It noted that its earlier concerns were legitimate, pointing to a lack of stakeholder consultation, as well as issues related to data security, transparency, and system integration.
At the time, it called for broader engagement to ensure the system would be credible and beneficial to all stakeholders.
According to the statement, the Government of Ghana, through the Finance Ministry and the Ghana Revenue Authority, has since engaged industry players, including the Association, to address those concerns.
The Association described the engagements as constructive, indicating that they helped resolve key issues and showed government’s commitment to improving the system’s implementation.
As a result, it affirmed its support for the Publican AI system, which has already been rolled out at the ports.
The Association acknowledged that the system is facing some operational challenges but noted that such difficulties are common with major technological reforms.
It added that authorities are taking steps to resolve the issues.
It highlighted the potential benefits of the system, including improved revenue mobilisation, increased transparency, reduced revenue leakages, and a decline in unethical practices at the ports.
The statement cautioned the public against attempts by some individuals and groups to misrepresent its position, stressing that such actions undermine national progress.
It further emphasised that it will not allow itself to be used for propaganda or agendas that do not serve the interests of importers, exporters, and the wider economy.
The Executive Secretary of the Association, Samson Asaki Awingobit, signed the statement, reaffirming the group’s commitment to supporting reforms that improve efficiency at the ports and promote a fair trading environment.
By: Jacob Aggrey
