News
Air condition installer jailed 20 years for defilement
Gavel
A 40-year-old air condition installer, Joshua Arhin, has been handed 20 years imprisonment in hard labour by the Tarkwa Circuit Court, for defiling a 13-year-old girl at Booboobo in the Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipality.
He pleaded guilty and begged the court for forgiveness and promised not to repeat such a shameful act.
Superintendent Juliana Essel-Dadzie, who led the prosecution told the court presided over by Mrs Hathia Ama Manu, that the complainant is a mechanic and father of the victim, a Junior High School student.
She said both the complainant and the convict resided at Booboobo and that on May 25, 2024, around 8pm, the victim visited her sister at her drinking spot and was later asked to go home by herself as it was getting late.
She said after some minutes, the victim’s sister, who is a witness in this case, called their mother on the phone to inquire if the victim had gotten home, but the answer was a negative.
The prosecution said the complainant, victim’s mother and sister initiated a search for the victim and at about 9:30pm the same day, they saw her coming from the back of an uncompleted school building at Booboobo, interrogated her but she kept quiet and left to the house.
On June 1, 2024, the victim who was experiencing severe abdominal pain, confessed to the complainant that on May 25 while she was on her way home, Arhin was then at the back of an uncompleted school building, called her and after engaging her for some time he lured her into his bedroom and assaulted her sexually after which he gave her a two-tablet drug and ordered her to swallowed it.
The complainant reported the case to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) in Tarkwa, where a police medical report form was issued to the complainant to send the victim to the hospital for treatment and endorsement.
She said the complainant returned the form duly endorsed by a medical officer who attended to the victim at the Apinto Government Hospital.
The court heard that Arhin went into hiding after committing the offence, but on July 21, 2024, he was picked up at the complainant’s house when he paid a visit with some elders to render an apology.
News
Barker-Vormawor granted GH¢20K bail after three-week detention
Convener of the Democracy Hub protest, Oliver Barker-Vormawor has been granted bail to the tune of GH¢20,000 with two sureties.
Barker-Vormawor was arrested along 52 others on Monday, September 23, 2024 and charged for allegedly causing public disturbances during the Democracy Hub protest
He is expected to report to the police twice a week.
He has been charged with counts of stealing, unlawful assembly, unlawful damage, assault on a public officer and offensive conduct conducive to the breach of peace.
He was denied bail by the Accra Circuit Court and further remanded by the High Court when his lawyers appealed the Circuit Court’s ruling.
The High Court judge, who was concerned whether Barker-Vormawor will not commit another offence if granted bail, as he already was on bail for treason felony charges at the time of the alleged offences, warned to grant bail if prosecution fails to commence the trial.
Barker-Vormawor’s lawyers thus repeated the bail application at the High Court, which was granted.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
News
The Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) has reiterated that its mandate is not to determine or appoint the country’s president.
During a live broadcast of the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, EC Chairperson Madam Jean Mensa emphasised that the Commission’s sole responsibility is to declare the choice of the voters, not to influence the outcome.
She assured that the EC will uphold this stance in the upcoming 2024 general elections, reaffirming the Commission’s neutrality and dedication to fairness.
Madam Mensa also called on political parties to refrain from spreading misinformation about the EC’s role, urging them to be clear about the Commission’s limited authority in the election process.
“I would like to quote from Dr Hassan Ayariga’s statement where he said the EC can never make anybody a president, and I think that we all know that around this table. And therefore, we should not peddle misinformation,” she said.
She added, “And peddle false news and disinformation and give the innocent citizens who do not know the process that the Electoral Commission can make somebody a President. I would like to quote from Dr Hassan Ayariga’s statement that the EC can never make anybody a President.
“What the EC does is to declare who the voters choose as their President. And so, it’s the Ghanaian voter who votes a president into being and not the EC that makes a President. We only declare the voter’s choice. And that is what will happen come December 2024. It’s who the voter wants to be President of this land who will be declared by the EC,” she concluded.
Source: Citinewsroom.com
