Court sentences farmer to death by hanging

A Sunyani High Court “One” presided by Justice Don Bosco Nabrese, on Monday sentenced a farmer, aged 29 to death by hanging.

Kofi Dabou, the convict had earlier pleaded not guilty, when he appeared before the Court for allegedly murdering his brother’s wife and son at Banoffour village in the Nkoranza South Municipality of Brong-Ahafo Region.

But a-seven-member jury, in a unanimous decision, found the convict guilty of the offence and was accordingly convicted.

Presenting the facts of the case, Mrs. Angela Oboshie Tooto, a state Attorney at the Attorney-General’s Department in Sunyani told the Court that on January 5, 2010, the deceased, Ama Kayera popularly known as “Ama Dagarte,” together with her three-year-old son left home to give food to her husband, Kwaku Dagarte in the farm.

The prosecutor said Kayera and her son did not return home, and the husband reported the matter to opinion leaders in the community.

She said a search party was organized, but could not find them, adding that, the following day another search was organized and the bodies were found buried under a palm tree at the convict’s farm.

The police exhumed and deposited the bodies at the Nkoranza St Theresa’s hospital for autopsy.
Mrs. Tooto said the victim fled the area but was arrested upon a tip-off by the Police in Techiman, whilst on his way to Wa, his hometown.During interrogation the convict confessed committing the heinous crime, she added.

source: ghanaweb.com

Cop beaten by a Deaf and dumb

 

A 48-year-old deaf and dumb resident of Bunkpurugu in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District of the Northern Region, Jakpel Sanganika, has beaten to a pulp Lance Corporal Charles Agble Vigor.

The cop with the Rapid Deployment Force (RDF) of the Ghana Police Service in Tamale, the Northern regional capital, was on operational duties in the area.

Constable Vigor, it has been gathered, was detailed on patrol duties to some suburbs in the Bunkpurugu township to ensure that residents adhered to the curfew hours imposed by the Ministry of Interior.

While on patrol, however, he reportedly spotted the suspect at a distance and decided to confront him on why he was outside during curfew hours and to find out if he had a permit to stay late.

Upon getting closer, he realised the suspect was deaf and dumb and could therefore neither hear what he (cop) was saying nor speak. He only used sign language to communicate.

The cop therefore decided to escort him home but Jakpel Sanganika, on the way, pounced on the policeman and beat him up mercilessly, after hitting him with a big stone to render him unconscious.

While still subjecting the cop to physical assault, other policemen on patrol duties spotted the suspect and rushed to the rescue of their colleague who was then bleeding profusely.

They rushed him to the Bunkpurugu Health Centre, where first aid was administered to reduce the bleeding, before he was transferred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital where he is currently on admission.

The suspect was later arrested and released on police enquiry bail pending the recovery of the victim. Police in Bunkpurugu confirmed the story and disclosed that the suspect was likely to be charged for assaulting a public officer and causing harm later this week.

source: ghanaweb.com

Failed gunman is confirmed to be a psychiatric patient

A brother of the 36-year-old man convicted for attempting to assassinate President Mahama says the BNI had information Charles Antwi had previously been treated for mental illness.

Charles Antwi was arrested last Sunday for carrying a gun to the Ringway Gospel Centre branch of the Assemblies of God Church, where President Mahama and his family fellowship.

He was jailed 10 years yesterday without a lawyer, and some lawyers have criticized the trial judge for violating the suspect’s constitutional rights.

Prior to his sentence, the prosecution had told the presiding judge that Charles Antwi was mentally sound, but his brother Kwame Opoku, with whom Charles lived before the incident, has exclusively told Joy News he led officials of the BNI to the Tafo Government Hospital where the convict had previously sought treatment for mental illness.

Joy News’ Kwetey Nartey who visited the convict’s brother said Kwame Opoku was invited to the BNI offices when the brother was arrested.

He told Joy News during the interrogation, the investigators realised Charles’ statement was not adding up. This prompted the security agency to follow him to the hospital and his hometown to ascertain his true state of mind.

According to Kwame Opoku, the security officials were told at the hospital, at a taxi station where the brother worked, by a fetish priest and the mother that Charles Antwi was mentally unstable, and has been for five years now.

He said Charles had travelled to Italy en route Libya but was deported. He said it was when he arrived in Ghana that they later detected that he was having a mental condition.

According to him, all efforts by the family to get Charles healed have not been successful as his unstableness kept recurring. He had on some occasions threatened to kill his own mother, Kwame Opoku recounted.

While in Accra, Mr. Opoku said Charles lived a normal life without the least suspicion of his intention to assassinate Ghana’s president. He never sighted a gun on him or spotted one in his belongings.

All along, he said, Charles has been telling him plans to travel back to Libya with the support of a friend.

Anytime Charles goes out like he did on Sunday, the thinking has always been that he was working on his travelling arrangement, Opoku noted.

He was, therefore, surprised when news broke that his brother’s interior motive was to oust the first gentleman of the land.

Whilst he languishes in jail, Kwame Opoku said the family is yet to meet and take the necessary steps that would ensure his release from prison.

Meanwhile, many have criticised Charles Antwi’s incarceration due to his mental condition.

source: ghanaweb.com

Stop selling handouts to students - Education Minister

 

The Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang has called for an immediate stop to the sale of handouts by lecturers to students in the country’s tertiary institutions.

The Minister said the practice does not only place further financial burden on parents, but also stifled research, originality and independent work by students.

In an address read for her at the 10th congregation of the Kumasi Polytechnic, on Saturday, Professor Opoku Agyeman stated that the practice must stop immediately.

Two thousand five hundred students, who pursued and completed various programmes in Higher National Diploma (HND), Diploma in Business Administration (DBA), Diploma in Computerized Accounting (DCA) and Professional Diploma in Computerized Accounting (PDCA) for the 2013 and 2014 academic years, were presented with their certificates.

She pointed out that, the government had heard the unfair treatment being meted out to students who failed to purchase handouts and said the cries of students against the practice had reached the corridors of government.

The Minister said lecturers could publish their notes into books and place them at the bookshops for sale for interested students to buy.Professor Opoku Agyeman commended the Kumasi Polytechnic on its achievements, especially in the area of alternative energy production and said the manufacturing of solar bags, capable of charging mobile phones and tablets, and other solar apparels were very encouraging.She however, advised the management to produce in larger quantities and sell them at affordable prices to the general public.

The Minister advised the graduates to pursue honesty, sincerity, selflessness, hard-work and dedication, in order to be very successful in whatever endeavor they would find themselves.

Professor Nicholas Nsowah-Nuamah, the Rector of the Polytechnic, said the school had built the capacity of its faculty and other staff to become a technical university.

He said KPS computers, mobile phones, laptops and tablets, which were being assembled by students of the polytechnic, were on the market now for sale and urged the public to patronize them.

Professor Kwasi Obiri-Danso, Chairman of the Polytechnic Council, said the focus of the school was to remain as a true hands-on practical training institution where graduates would be trained to acquire state-of-the-art skills for industrial growth and development.

source:ghananewsagency.org

I am very sorry for my comments in Kukurantumi - Second Lady

Accra, July 18 GNA - The Second Lady, Mrs. Matilda Amissah Arthur has apologized to Ghanaians for a comment that she thought was intended to encourage the community participation in the Kukurantumi basic school.

Speaking at the 40th Anniversary of the Jack and Jill School in Cantonment, the Second Lady asked for permission to touch on the issue that has been in the news for some days now in the country.Mrs Amissah Arthur explained that last Wednesday, she went to Kukurentumi to make a presentation of five computers and about 500 books to the Presbyterian Basic School upon a request she received from some friends.She said for the past five years she has been helping various deprived schools in her own small way by making donations to them.She said she was taken aback when the headmistress of the Presbyterian Basic School asked for chalk.

Mrs Amissah Arthur said her response was intended to encourage community participation in schools unfortunately it did not go down well with Ghanaians. She is therefore very sorry for what happened that day.Mrs Amissah Arthur’s, Humanitarian work shows her deep commitment to improve conditions in deprive communities.Her advocacy and philanthropic works in education, particularly for children, cuts across the entire nation.So far she has championed the construction of schools, libraries and ICT centers to virtually all the regions in Ghana.She has also made donations to some schools including Agona Duakwa Islamic Basic School, Agona Kwanyarko Anglican Basic School all in the Agona East district.She has also donated educational materials to the Afranse D A  Basic School  and the Pomadze D A Basic  School in Gomoa Central District , Oguaa Football for Hope Centre in Cape Coast and the donation of reading materials  to the  Shama Library in the Shama District.Besides, she inaugurated an Information and Communication Technology and Teachers Resource Centre for the people of Lower Bobikuma; inauguration of a 30-million dollar computer laboratory for PLAY Soccer Ghana, a FIFA project based in Cape Coast, that uses football and ICT to prepare children under nine years for football and leadership purposes among others.

source:ghananewsagency.org

'I haven't robbed anyone' - Gyan attacks Shanghai move sceptics

 The Ghana captain says that he is only interested in making money for his family after signing a contract with a Chinese club worth €325,000 per week


Asamoah Gyan is baffled by criticism of the lucrative deal he has signed with Shanghai SIPG, pointing out that he hasn't robbed anyone of their money.
The Ghana captain last week signed a two-year contract with the Chinese Super League outfit that will reportedly earn him €325,000 per week, making him one of the top 10 best-paid players on the planet.
Gyan has been attacked in some quarters for accepting another big-money deal - after leaving Sunderland for UAE outfit Al-Ain 2012 - but he says that he is merely doing right by his loved ones.
"I don't understand the criticism," the 29-year-old striker told BBC Sport. "I work hard for what I earn. I am focused on my job.
"It is not as if I am doing anything illegal or robbing people of their money.
"I have learned to turn the negatives into positives and so I make my decisions and understand that everyone works for money.
"At the end of my career, people will not criticise me anymore. They will move on to the next person.
"And at the end of my career the most important thing will be how well I did for myself, my family and those closest to me.
"This time is my era so I have to make sure I make the most of it."
Gyan has been capped 90 times by his country, scoring 48 times in the process, which is a Black Stars record.


source: goal.com

Dortmund: Aubameyang not for sale

 Aubameyang 

 

The Signal Iduna Park CEO has warned Arsenal and PSG that there is no way BVB will be cashing in on their star attacker.

 Arsenal and Paris Saint-Germain have been warned off bidding for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by Borussia Dortmund boss Hans-Joachim Watzke, who stressed the striker is not for sale.

The rapid attacker joined Signal Iduna Park from Saint-Etienne two years ago and was one of the positive aspects of BVB's topsy-turvy 2014-15, scoring 25 goals in 46 appearances.Aubameyang's performances have roused interest from Premier League title fighters Arsenal and Ligue 1 champions PSG, both of whom are in the market for a new forward.But Dortmund CEO Watzke claims new coach Thomas Tuchel will not be stripped of the versatile attacker, despite being without Champions League football for 2015-16."Aubameyang stays with us this season," the club chief told Bild am Sonntag amid rumours that Arsenal are willing to bid €40 million. "He's not for sale!"

The Gabon international is reportedly set to be offered a new contract – which currently runs out in 2018 – and will see his salary increased by €1m.With Ciro Immobile loaned to Sevilla for the season, Dortmund are throwing their faith behind Aubameyang as their attacking star this coming campaign.

 source: goal.com

Agyemang-Badu returns to Udinese

 Ghana midfielder Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu has returned to Udinese to join their pre-season preparations despite heightened reports of his imminent departure.

The 24-year-old took part in his first summer pre-season training with Zebrette on Thursday having arrived in Italy the night before.Badu had been in his native Ghana on holidays.
He however during this period, made a quick return trip to the UK to hold talks with Stoke City over a move.The 2009 U20 World Cup is expected to join the English club but has insisted no deal is in place.He has now joined his team for pre-season training.

source: ghanaweb.com

2 bank robbers arrested at Kpeve; manhunt underway for 4 others

 

 Two robbers who allegedly broke into the Kpeve Branch of the Agricultural Development Bank in the Volta Region have been arrested while a manhunt is underway for four others.
The heist is said to have taken place at dawn on Friday, after the robbers attacked the only security man at the bank and tied him up.The two who have since been arrested, Toisin Robert, 40 and Ndubisi Prince, 32 are reportedly Nigerian Nationals.

The Volta Regional Police Commander, DCOP Peterkin Yentumi Gynae told Citi News that the two who were arrested shortly after the incident, were in possession of about GHC 11,243 and confessed when interrogated.“The robbers managed to flee but we arrested one of them. A little while after that our men on their regular checks at Kponevi also accosted one who was apparently in a vehicle coming towards Ho. A search revealed a knapsack with plenty of money which looked suspicious. when he was interrogated, he confessed to the robbery” DCOP Gynae said.

source: ghanaweb.com

Appiah reveals "I could have become an armed robber"

 Stephen Appiah has revealed he is good friends with notorious armed robber Atta Ayi and could have easily become a criminal himself if not for football.
The 34-year-old is one of the most loved personalities in Ghana due to his selfless dedication with the Black Stars.Appiah, born and bred in Chorkor revealed he could nearly have become a social vice just like his childhood friend Atta Ayi who is currently doing time in the Nsawam Prison.“I always say that if I had not become a footballer then I would have been an armed robber,” Appiah told Starr FM in an extensive interview with Bola Ray.“I went to Nsawam Prison for a program and 15% of the inmates were my friends in Chorkor.“The Atta Ayi that many people talk about was my friend. I ate with him in Chorkor.“Most of my friends I grew up with at Chorkor are now criminals, mad or even dead while robbing.”

Appiah officially hanged up his boots from active football earlier this year and had a good send off in a highly patronized testimonial game organized by Primeval Media.

source:ghanaweb.com

Rocker Nick Cave's son dies after fall from cliff

Rocker Nick Cave's 15-year-old son died Tuesday after tumbling off a 60-foot seaside cliff in Brighton, England, authorities said.

Arthur Cave was found with life-threatening injuries at the bottom of the Ovingdean Gap cliff at 6 p.m., and died of his injuries later that night in a nearby hospital, according to Sussex Police.

His death is not being treated as suspicious, police said.

Nick Cave and his wife, British model Susie Bick, released a statement confirming the death of their son, who they called their "beautiful, happy, loving boy.

"We ask that we be given the privacy our family needs to grieve at this difficult time."

Arthur Cave is survived by a twin brother, Earl. The family lives in Brighton.

source:cnn.com

Gyan assures Shanghai SIPG "I am here to win"

Asamoah Gyan says he is determined to win titles with Shanghai SIPG at his official unveiling on Wednesday.The 29-year-old has signed a two-year contract to join the ambitious Chinese club from Al Ain.Gyan was officially out-doored as the club’s new signing at a ceremony on Wednesday afternoon where he declared his intentions of helping the club to grab all the titles it can.
“I am here to win,” Gyan said.“The target is to help the side achieve all of its objectives and that is what I am here for. I want to be able to help the side become successful.”

The former Sunderland hitman could make his Shanghai SIPG debut as early as Thursday when the side hosts Tianjin Teda in a league game.

source: ghanaweb.com

Kevin Boateng rejects China's offers

Ghana international midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng has rejected offers to join Black Stars captain in China, according to his agent. A number of Chinese clubs have expressed interests in signing Boateng but his agent Edoardo Crnjar has stated Boateng wants to play for a top club and is not interested in a move to the Asian country.Boateng, 28, has been left out of the Schalke pre-season squad and is looking for a new club.
Turkish giants Galatasaray and AC Milan have all been linked with the former Portsmouth midfielder but there is no concrete offer yet.

source: ghanaweb.com(http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/SportsArchive/Kevin-Boateng-rejects-China-offers-367974)

Talensi by-election: AK-47 rifle, other weapons intercepted

The Police in Talensi have reportedly intercepted an AK-47 rifle, a pistol, dagger, axe and other dangerous weapons in the area.

The weapons were intercepted when the Police mounted a check point at Tongo, the capital of Talensi to conduct a random search of vehicles entering the Town.
According to Citi News’ Karim Natogmah, the AK-47 was retrieved from a Toyota Tundra vehicle with registration number UE 16-13 while the pistol, axe and seven machetes were retrieved from a Ford vehicle.
He reports that the vehicles and their owners have been arrested and detained at the Police station.
He said information available to him suggests that the occupants of the said vehicles in which the weapons were retrieved are not natives of Tongo.

Eligible voters in the Talensi Constituency are currently voting to select one from eight parliamentary candidates vying to represent the constituency in Parliament.
Incumbent MP for Talensi, Mr Robert Nachinab Doameng Mosore resigned to take up the position of a paramount chief of Tongo which compelled the Electoral Commission to set July 7, for a by-election in the area.

source: ghanaweb

4 Cocaine Dealers Busted

INFORMATION Reaching DAILY GUIDE at press time on Monday indicated that four persons, including a female, had been arrested by the Akuse police for allegedly dealing in narcotic drug suspected to be cocaine.
They were busted in the Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The suspects – Madam Gifty Tetteh aka Nyatobi, 37 [suspected supplier], drinking bar operator; Joseph Tetteh, 40, unemployed [suspected agent]; Kwabena Tei, 29 [suspected agent] and Eric Tetteh, 22, all natives of  Odumase-Krobo – are currently in prison custody at Akuse assisting in investigations.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that the police, upon a tip-off on July 1, 2015, went to the residence of Kwabena Tei – who is on police wanted list – at Somanya, to arrest him in connection with a robbery case, and during a search of his room, the police found 10 pieces of cloth, beads, 10 cutlasses, a bundle of electric wire, a gas cylinder and 375 rolls of paper in a polythene bag, which contained a substance suspected to be cocaine.
Confirming the arrest to DAILY GUIDE, ASP Francis Ackah, the Akuse Police Commander, posited that the suspect mentioned Madam Gifty Tetteh as the supplier of the substance and was arrested, adding that through investigation, the rest were grabbed.
ASP Ackah hinted that when the police mounted a search in Gifty Tetteh’s room, they found GH¢35,000; €200; £20 and 2,400 CFA in her drawer.
The suspects have been charged to appear before a Koforidua circuit court on Thursday for trial.
 FROM Daniel Bampoe, Odumase – Krobo

source: dailyguirde

Blakk Rasta Quits… ‘Multimedia Betrayed Me & Banned My Songs’

Activist Reggae Musician and popular  radio presenter, Blakk Rasta, has confirmed to NEWS-ONE he has resigned his job as host of Hitz Fm’s ‘Taxi Driver’ show and cut ties with Multimedia Group, owners of the station.

“I was still on the radio [Monday morning] when I tendered my resignation.  I have been with Multimedia for eight years and I think it is time to move on because I am no longer inspired there and of course, a few other things happened here and there that made me feel betrayed,” Blakk Rasta confirmed to  NEWS-ONE during a telephone interview.

The popular reggae musician denied vehemently that he was sacked by the station or forced to resign under duress. “No one sacked me. If I was sacked I would have told you because there is nothing embarrassing about it. I resigned and when I handed them my letter, they even said I had to refund to them a month’s salary because I resigned without serving them prior notice.”
Blakk Rasta recently made headline news when he was summoned before Ghana’s Parliament after he had campaigned on radio for the decriminalisation of  marijuana use in Ghana  and alleged that some 80 percent of parliamentarians use ganja.

The award-winning musician did not mince words in disclosing to NEWS-ONE that the ripple effects of that invitation were part of the factors which led to his resignation from Hitz Fm.
“When   I was invited by Parliament, my employers did not even sit me down before the invitation so we plan on what exactly we should say there and how things should go, they did not get a lawyer for me, nothing; nothing like that happened.  Even my HR who was there knew next to nothing about the incident when he was questioned about the issue and what exactly I had said.

“I did not get any support from Multimedia, which I thought was unfair.  I thought once I was with you, I should get your support. Even if you do not agree with what I said, you can go and say you do not agree and that you are pleading for clemency. But that was not done and I even had to look for my own lawyer.

“No one was interested in my wellbeing as far as that invitation was concerned; but they were rather interested in the story and in getting the news, so they [Multimedia] set up their gadgets and carried the news live both on radio and television,” Blakk narrated to NEWS-ONE.

When NEWS-ONE called the Programmes Manager for Hitz FM, Mark Okraku Mantey, on phone to cross check from him the veracity or otherwise of Blakk Rasta’s allegation, he could not speak to the matter because there was a lot of noise in the background and the conversation was barely audible.
Okraku Mantey, however, asked that the paper call him back later in the evening but his phone was not answered when the paper called back, and a text message sent to his phone over the matter was also not responded to as at press time yesterday.

Blakk was emphatic that he felt his work was not appreciated by his employers and that they even placed an embargo on his songs after the invitation by Parliament.

“It has been a nice family but I now feel uncomfortable. I feel betrayed and I am not inspired anymore to work with these people.  This slip could happen to anybody but it depends on how you handle it; but I was betrayed and I had to go look for my own lawyer, I went there  on my own and even after that, not even one  person from Multimedia  has called me to talk to me about it and the way forward.

“What they rather did was to go ahead and ban my songs on radio saying that I do not attend station gatherings and all that so my songs should not be played on radio. What is this? I don’t intend granting interviews or talking about this because I have been working with this station for eight solid years.

“I think Multimedia is not appreciative of my work and commitment. Time and again, I have heard them make utterances that make me feel I am not appreciated and my die-hard passion is not appreciated. I put in all my passion and energy but this afternoon, I just decided to tender in my resignation.

 What Next For Blakk?
“Next week, I am travelling to Italy for the Milan Expo and I would be representing Ghana on the ticket of the Trade Ministry and we are bringing home an award. Right after that, I am going to America, then Australia and then Trinidad and Tobago.  It looks like the outsiders seem to appreciate my works more and I am looking forward to using this platform to push my ‘Serwa Akoto’ on the international scene.

“I hope to be back in the media soon. Long before my resignation, some stations had approached me but I did not give in. I am not sure which station I would be moving to because it would be about the biggest bidder and who would appreciate me and respect what I do.”


By Halifax Ansah-Addo

source: dailyguide