Chief Justice Gertrude Sackey Torkornoo has advised lawyers not to be part of activities that destroyed the nation.

“Lawyers must not be part of the activities that destroy the national economy, whether it is the political economy, the environmental economy, or the social economy. Lawyers must be those who rally around with knowledge, doctrines, precepts , values, and skills to build a nation up in every circumstance of growth and development. This is a big charge that we all have.”

The Chief Justice, who was speaking at the enrolment of 777 lawyers at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday, urged the new lawyers to bring up their knowledge to help social engineering so they could take their places in the community of lawyers.

The Chief Justice told the lawyers that when the country was on a high tide, they were to support its shaping.

“In low tide, its lawyers who speak up to shape the new form of the nation. In all of this, lawyers cannot be part of conversations that destroy the nation or break it up. You should leave here resolved to be leaders of your community … with consistently refreshed knowledge in order not to destroy the expectations of society.”

Additionally, she charged the new lawyers to be good citizens and continue to lead in nation building.

“As you leave here with your certificates, you are supposed to use these skills, knowledge and values given in law school to serve our communities. This will include the ability to evaluate, reason, structure and weave applicable law into solving problems.”

She recalled how law had provided the structure and support for proper engineering of society, adding if evil was to be kept at bay, law and lawyering and legality had to be at the front.

The Chief Justice noted that one of the grand issues facing the world was virtual reality and digital technology and how the world was navigating it with legality.

“As part of the global community, Ghana cannot sidestep its participation in every form of the economy that technology is introducing.”

According to her, entertainment had changed, with currency taking on a global character, including everyday trading and communication.

She noted that the era of the internet and artificial intelligence had thrown all into the era of fake news, misinformation and disinformation.

“With all these, we need to be keenly conscious of the fact that human conduct and innovation will never wait for the law. It is law that always has to catch up with human innovation and creativity.”

The Chief Justice appealed to them to embrace technology and embark on continuous education.

She congratulated the lawyers for passing the test of competence and moral character and realising their dreams and goals of becoming lawyers.

Source: GNA

Wa High Court quashes order of Nandom District Registration Review Officer to delete 197 names

A Wa High Court presided over by the Wa Supervising High Court judge in the Upper West Region, Justice Yussif Assibey has quashed the decision of the District Registration Review Officer (DRRO) of Nandom to delete the names of 197 persons from the voter’s register.

The DRRO of Nandom on September 20, 2024, ordered for the names to be deleted from the electoral roll claiming that the 197 applicants failed to attend the review hearing when they were asked to.

The order to delete the names was given following a complaint from party agents that they were not residents of Nandom, dead or foreign nationals.

he applicants unsatisfied with the ruling took the matter to the Wa High Court praying the court to quash the decision.

The DRRO explained that they gave the order for the names to be deleted from the electoral register after they refused to attend the review hearing after they were notified through phone calls.

The applicants, who were represented by a lawyer, Sylvester Isang strongly denied the assertion. When the DRRO was pinned to the wall he could not ascertain his claim about the phone notification.

The Supervising Wa High Court judge, Justice Yussif Assibey while evaluating the case noted that since the applicants didn’t have the opportunity to defend themselves, they were unfairly treated and for that matter, the action constituted a breach of natural justice.

He therefore quashed the order of the DRRO and ordered that the names of the 197 applicants be included in the voter’s register.

He also ordered the Electoral Commission of Ghana to issue all 197 with biometric identification cards to enable them to take part in the December polls.

There was no legal representation from the Electoral Commission nor the agents who first brought the case to the Nandom DRRO.

Source: myjoyonline.com

Court bars NPP’s Cynthia Morrison from going independent

A District Magistrate Court at Agona Swedru in the Central Region has issued an injunction against Cynthia Morrison’s candidacy as an independent parliamentary candidate for Agona West Constituency in the Central Region.

The injunction prevents her from presenting herself as a candidate until the court fully resolves an ongoing legal case.

Cynthia Morrison, who previously won the Agona West parliamentary seat for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in 2016 and 2020, decided to run independently after alleging that her party treated her unfairly during the internal primary for the 2024 election.

She announced her decision to run as an independent candidate about three months ago, following her loss in the NPP’s parliamentary primary.

In the April 2024 primary, Morrison garnered 152 votes, while Christopher Arthur secured the nomination with 240 votes.

Despite her loss, Morrison has maintained that her desire to continue developing Agona West informed her decision to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming election.

With less than two months until the 2024 elections, the court’s injunction casts uncertainty over her candidacy, as the case may not be determined before the election.

The magistrate’s order bars her from campaigning as a candidate until the matter is fully resolved.

Madam Morrison, a former Minister for Gender, Children, and Social Protection, had called on constituents to rally behind her independent bid, insisting her focus remains on the development of Agona West, despite the legal challenges and political hurdles.

Democracy Hub Protesters file suit against IGP, AG

Thirty-two protesters from the Democracy Hub have filed a lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, alleging violations of their human rights.

They are seeking a declaration that the conduct of the Ghana Police Service in disrupting the peaceful protest violated Article 21(d) of the 1992 Constitution, Article 21 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Article 11 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The protesters were among 53 individuals arrested during a peaceful demonstration that took place between September 21 and 23, which turned violent after clashes with the Police.

The Ghana Police Service accused the protesters of blocking roads, dismantling barriers, obstructing traffic, and damaging property at Accra’s 37 Roundabout.

Out of the 53 arrested, nine are currently in prison, while the rest remain in police custody. The prosecution has denied any mistreatment of the accused, asserting that they were properly cared for, including being provided meals from the popular restaurant Papaye. This claim, however, sparked outrage from defense lawyers.

The Group being presented by Mr Francis-Xavier Sosu, was also demanding a declaration that the respondents had violated the applicants’ rights to liberty and security of their person and freedom from unlawful and arbitrary arrest and detention enshrined in Article 14 of the 1992 constitution.

They said the respondents also violated Article 9 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; Article 9 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights; Principles 2 and 11 of the Body of Principles for the protection of all persons under any form of detention or imprisonment and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

They also want a declaration that respondents have violated applicants’ right to legal representation enshrined in Article 14(2) of the 1992 constitution of Ghana.

“We seek a declaration that denying the Applicants basic necessities while in detention violated their right to human dignity as enshrined in Article 15 of the 1992 constitution, Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” they said.

They also sought a declaration that the detention of some Applicants for more than 48 hours before bringing them before a court violated their rights under Article 14(3)(b) of the 1992 constitution.

The applicants want a declaration that the force used by Respondents on Applicants was excessive, unreasonable, and unjustifiable.

A Declaration that the conduct of Respondents is in breach of the standards of fairness and reasonableness under Article 23, proper use of discretion under Article 296, and all implied rights inherent in a democracy intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man which include the right not to be subjected to arbitrary and malicious prosecution under Article 33(5) of the 1992 Constitution, the prayed.

An order directed at the Respondents to pay to the Applicants compensation for unlawful and unwarranted breach of the Applicants’ fundamental human rights.

Source: GNA

Kumasi Magistrate court invalidates more than 1,000 voter transfers to Manhyia South constituency

A Kumasi magistrate court has invalidated more than 1,000 voter transfers to the Manhyia South constituency, ordering the Electoral Commission (EC) to take immediate steps to return all the affected voters to their original constituencies.

The court, Presided by the Magistrate, Gyaawa Donkor, arrived at the verdict after complaint brought before the court by Lawyer Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Manhyia South, after detecting that the transfers had been orchestrated by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), traveled its judicial course.

Mr Awuah, after uncovering the illegal transfers, had mobilised polling station executives and residents to raise objections, indicating that these transfers involved individuals who did not reside in the constituency.

The objections were formalised through the completion of Objection Forms in accordance with Regulation 23 of CI 91, which indicated that the transferred voters were not residents of the constituency.

On September 20, 2024, during the court’s hearing on the matter, landlords of the properties, which the affected voters used to register, testified before the court denying that the individuals live at those addresses.

When the Ghana News Agency reached out to the NDC Parliamentary candidate, Ms Rita Gyamfua Amonu, after the court’s ruling, she opted not to comment on the matter.

Source: GNA

We are collaborating with U.S. to extradite former MASLOC Boss – Deputy AG

Deputy Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Alfred Tuah-Yeboah, has revealed that the state is actively pursuing the extradition of former MASLOC Chief Executive, Sedinam Tamakloe Attionu, to Ghana to serve her 10-year sentence.

Tuah-Yeboah confirmed that Attionu is currently residing in the United States, and the government is working with U.S. authorities to facilitate her return to Ghana to face justice.

“She was convicted by the court in Ghana sometime ago and after the conviction, I made it known to the media that we were going to take steps to have her extradited to Ghana and we started taking those steps and in collaboration with our intentional partners, we know where she is and very soon, definitely, she may be extradited to Ghana.

“The issue of going through the process is necessary and we are filing all the documentation and if everything goes through, she will definitely come back to Ghana to begin her sentence. She is in the United States of America,” the deputy AG told Umaru Sanda Amadu on Eyewitness News on Citi FM.

Tuah-Yeboah added, “When it comes to extradition processes, for example, you have to go through the court processes to get a court order and what we are supposed to do is furnish the US authorities with whatever we have and wait on them so that the moment they finish with the processes, she will be brought down to Ghana.”

The Accra High Court on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, sentenced Ms. Tamakloe to 10 years in prison for stealing, procurement breaches and causing GH¢90 million financial loss to the state.

She was dragged together with a former Operations Manager of MASLOC, Daniel Axim, to court in January 2019.

The two were charged with 78 counts of stealing, money laundering, and causing financial loss to the state, among others.

Source: citinewsroom.com

Government sets up inter-ministerial committee to engage stakeholders on illegal mining

The government has established an inter-ministerial committee to engage all stakeholders to assess its effort in tackling the illegal mining menace in Ghana.

A statement issued by the Ministry of Information disclosed that the five-member committee will be chaired by the National Security Minister Albert Kan-Dapaah.

Other members of the committee are the Minister for Lands and Natural Resource, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister for Defence, Dominic Nitiwul, Employment and Labour Minister Ignatius Baffour Awuah and Minister for Information Fatimatu Abubakar.

High Court jails 3 pastors for contempt of court

The Accra High Court has sentenced three pastors to five days imprisonment each for contempt of court.

Apostle Samuel Anang Sowah, Bishop Abraham Adjetey Adjei and Bishop Daniel Buernor Tokoli, formerly of the Holy Apostolic Reformed Church (HARC), were sent to prison for defying orders of the court not to interfere with the activities of the church.

Apart from slapping the three contemnors with a term of imprisonment, the court presided over by Justice William Boampong, also awarded a cost of GH¢1,000 each against the three pastors in favour of the church, which was the applicant in the contempt case.

On October 27 last year, the court, in an earlier contempt case, convicted the three pastors for contempt of court for holding service at the Tema, Teshie and Nungua branches of the church despite a pending application for interlocutory injunction, restraining them from conducting church services.

The court, however, cautioned and discharged the three pastors, who have been dismissed by the leadership of the church. In its current ruling sentencing the three pastors to prison, the court held that despite the contempt conviction on October 27, 2023, and the caution, the three pastors went ahead and did the very thing the court cautioned them not to do by holding service at the three branches of the church.

The pastors, the court held, defied the court orders and went ahead to conduct church services at the branches on October 29, 2023, two days after they were convicted for contempt.
Respect the law

Delivering the sentence, Justice Boampong held that by defying the orders of the court, the three pastors had breached an order of the court which had not been suspended, thus bringing into disrepute the administration of justice.

“The court earlier cautioned and discharged the respondents in an earlier contempt case, but they went ahead and repeated what the court restrained them to do.

The Respondents should therefore be made to respect the law at this time. I sentence each of the three respondents to five days imprisonment,” Justice Boampong ordered.

Suit

The Trustees of the HARC sued the three pastors, accusing them of illegally breaching the constitution of the church by acting independently and failing to accept the leadership of the church.

Among other reliefs, the plaintiffs wanted the court to declare that the three branches which the three pastors have taken over were subject to the control of the headquarters of the HARC.

The church further wanted an order from the court restraining the three pastors from having anything to do with the church so long as they refused to obey the direction of the headquarters of the church.

Parliament Passes Shippers’ Authority Bill

Parliament has passed the Ghana Shippers’ Authority Bill, 2024 which amends its 50 years old establishment law, NRCD 254 (1974).

It will regulate commercial activities of shippers, and will primarily address the issue of unfair and excessive charges that burden traders who use Ghana’s sea and air ports, as well as land borders to ply their international trade.

It will introduce transparency in the determination of port fees and charges, and will by that, ensure that there is accountability in the legal movement of international trade cargo across all borders of Ghana.

It aims to make Ghana a preferred transit trade channel for her landlocked neighbours -Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger and also enhance the sector’s revenue contribution to the national purse.

Empowered by the new law, the Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) will be enabled to better adapt to emerging trends and complexities within the shipping and logistics industry, protect the interests of shippers and shipping service providers, and improve its regulatory oversight of the entire industry.

The Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transportation’s report on the Bill indicated that one of the fundamental reasons for its successful passage was the need to ensure effective regulation of the shipping and logistics sector to guarantee fair pricing and charges for all stakeholders, especially importers and exporters.

The report said the Bill would empower the Ghana Shippers’ Authority to facilitate the charging of fair fees at the ports and borders, and through that, promote the participation of local firms in the provision of services in the sector.

The Committee noted that exorbitant charges imposed by some service providers, especially at the sea and air ports, hindered business growth, and contributed to the needless rise in prices of goods and services.

The Bill, when assented to by the President, is expected to enhance transparency, and accountability, and invariably drive improved revenue generation and collection for national socio-economic growth.

Moving for the approval of the Bill, Mr Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, the Minister of Transport, expressed satisfaction and indicated that, the Bill when passed would enhance the potency of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority in the discharge of its statutory mandate.

Ghana Shippers’ Authority (GSA) was established 50 years ago by NRCD 254 (1974) to regulate the commercial activities of shippers and shipping service providers in the shipment, storage, and delivery of international trade cargo by sea, air, and land.

Over the last five decades, GSA has driven compliance with established standards and guidelines in the commercial shipping sector in Ghana, and through Ghana to Burkina Faso, Niger, and Mali.

Since 1974, GSA has spearheaded the development, monitoring, and facilitation of transit trade through Ghana’s corridors.

The law as passed will enable a more effective regulation of transit trade, and thereby balance the interests of shippers and service providers for enhanced efficiency and competitiveness in international trade.

Commenting on the momentous occasion, Mr Kwesi Baffour Sarpong, the Chief Executive Officer of GSA, said the amended law was a huge step in the right direction, but it was not a “magic silver bullet”.

“GSA is poised for a collaborative approach to dealing with any issues that may arise, given our longstanding cordial relationships with all the stakeholders,” he stated.

Mr Sarpong assured all stakeholders that, the enforcement of the law would be fair and representative of the interests of the shipping industry and would be a major win for Ghana in her quest to become the preferred trade hub in the West Africa sub-region.

 

A-G to appeal Ato Forson’s acquittal

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has expressed disagreement with the Court of Appeal’s decision to acquit and discharge the Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, and businessman, Richard Jakpa.

A statement released and signed by the A-G said the decision was “inimical to the fight against impunity and abuse of public office”.

“The Office of the Attorney-General considers the decision of the Court of Appeal to be perverse in the quest for public accountability and the rule of law. The decision clearly is heavily against the weight of the cogent evidence led by the prosecution in substantiation of all the charges against the accused persons at the trial,” the statement said.

The statement said the relevant facts of the matter, as borne out by the undisputed evidence led so far, showed that vehicles purporting to be ambulances were imported into the country in December, 2014 in violation of the contract governing the transaction.

Secondly, it noted that the then Minister of Health, Ms. Sherry Aryittey, had cautioned in writing against the importation of the vehicles into the country. “There was thus no request by the Ministry of Health for the vehicles to be imported into the country, or for the letters of credit which were the means of payment for the vehicles under the contract, to be established,” it stressed.

The statement also indicated that with no request from the Ministry of Health or any authorisation whatsoever, and at a time that the period for supply of the ambulances under the contract had even lapsed, the first accused, Cassiel Ato Forson, by letters dated and 7th and 14th August, 2014, instructed the Bank of Ghana and the Controller and Accountant-General to issue letters of credit for the payment for the vehicles.

“The letters of credit were consequently established on 18th August, 2014. Big Sea General Trading LLC, the suppliers of the vehicles based in Dubai, whose contract had no parliamentary approval, proceeded to ship the vehicles on receipt of the letters of credit.

“When the vehicles arrived, they were not of the kind specified in the contract. Further, apart from the absence of basic parts and equipment required for an ambulance, the National Ambulance Service and the Ministry of Health noted serious defects with every material part of the vehicles,” the statement indicated.

Per the statement, such were the fundamental nature of the defects that a former Minister for Health, Dr Alex Segbefia, described the vehicles as “ordinary vans” not fit for purpose. It stressed that a report on the vehicles by the authorised dealers in Mercedes Benz, commissioned by the Ministry of Health in 2015 to assess the vehicles (tendered in evidence by the prosecution), stated that the vehicles could never be converted into ambulances.

It stressed that the defects were so irremediable that from the time the vehicles started arriving in December, 2014 up to January, 2017 when the erstwhile John Mahama administration left office, they could not be converted into ambulances.