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Ghanaians React Massively To Late Atta-Mills’ Sculpture Made By Mahama and Koku Anyidoho

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The resting place for late former president Professor John Evans Atta-Mills has generated a lot of discussion in the Ghanaian media space over the last few days as the family of the late president has issued a stern warning to Koku Anyidoho to stay away from the remains of the former ruler.

It will be recalled that the late ex-president died two days after his 68th birthday in 2012 and was buried at “Asomdwe Park”. A name culled from Atta-Mills’ favourite phrase “Mepɛ asomdwe”, to wit, “I want peace”.

Today marks the 10th anniversary of his death and preparations to celebrate this day began months ago of which the former aid to the late Atta-Mills, Koku Anyidoho was accused of exhuming the body of the former president in the process of renovating the Asomdwe Park.

However, a new sculpture of the late president has sparked a debate on social media as many Ghanaians believe that the sculpture designed by koku Anyidoho is more befitting than that of former President John Mahama who first built the Asomdwe park in 2012.

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You have no authority in court – Judge ‘fires’ OSP

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"You have no appellate jurisdiction over the High Court, whatever power you have," Justice Abodakpi stated. What exactly were the depositions? In the depositions (paragraphs 21-23 of the affidavits), the OSP accused Mr Bissue, among other things, of deceiving the court into issuing an interim injunction based on a non-existent arrest warrant. In the deposition, the OSP also chastised the court for issuing an interim injunction for 10 days, preventing the anti-graft agency from detaining and investigating Mr Bissue.

An Accra High Court has slammed the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for “overstepping its boundaries” and “abusing its powers.”

The court presided over by Justice Nicholas Mensah Abodakpi, was dissatisfied with certain depositions in the OSP’s affidavit, which was challenging a legal action brought by a former Presidential Staffer, Charles Cromwell Bissue, seeking to quash an arrest warrant allegedly obtained by the anti-graft agency to arrest and investigate him.

According to Justice Abodakpi, the OSP’s depositions (paragraphs 21-23 of the affidavit) were “scandalous,” an “abuse of office,” with the OSP acting as if it had control over the court.

As a result, the court knocked down the three paragraphs.

“The OSP has no appellate jurisdiction over the High Court.

“You have no appellate jurisdiction over the High Court, whatever power you have,” Justice Abodakpi stated.

What exactly were the depositions?

In the depositions (paragraphs 21-23 of the affidavits), the OSP accused Mr Bissue, among other things, of deceiving the court into issuing an interim injunction based on a non-existent arrest warrant.

In the deposition, the OSP also chastised the court for issuing an interim injunction for 10 days, preventing the anti-graft agency from detaining and investigating Mr Bissue.

“It is, thus, regrettable that although no court warrant was ever issued or existed, this Honourable Court firmly handed down an order of interim injunction against the first respondent, on an ex parte application, to restrain the respondent from discharging its statutory functions for ten (10) days.

It bears noting that a copy of the alleged warrant was never exhibited to the ex parte application, but the applicant had to bear the brunt of the judicial order all the same,” the OSP deposed.

Abuse of power

As the OSP tried to criticise the court for issuing the temporary injunction, Justice Abodakpi stated the depositions were scandalous.

The court stated that the OSP’s best choice was to challenge its verdict rather than condemn it in this manner.

“You cannot remonstrate and castigate the court over decisions it has made,” the judge said.

Justice Abodapki then asked Seth Ansong, counsel for the OSP, if he had a copy of the order issuing the interim injunction, to which counsel answered, “Not that I am aware of.”

The explanation from the OSP provoked a strong response from the judge, who queried how he took the depositions without reviewing the court’s judgement.

“Then why are you saying those things if you haven’t read the ruling of the court?

If you disagree with a court judgement, you can appeal to the Court of Appeal.

You are misusing your abilities.

You cannot condemn me (Judge).

“You haven’t seen the court’s decision and you’re saying those things,” Justice Abodapki stated.

Meanwhile, the case has been rescheduled for a hearing on January 15, 2019, during which a video tape of the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, providing interviews is anticipated to be aired in court.

Lawyers for Bissue said that Mr Agyebeng provided an interview in which he mentioned the arrest warrant, which has become a point of dispute in the case.

The OSP, on the other hand, has accused Bissue of deceiving the court about the existence of the stated arrest warrant, which led to the issuing of the temporary injunction.

The OSP claims that it has arrest authority and hence did not require a court order to carry out an arrest.

As a result, the OSP has suggested to the court that it would cross-examine Bissue’s lead attorney, Nana Agyei Baffour, to ascertain the veracity of his deposition to his affidavit, which said that the OSP had secured an arrest warrant for Charles Bissue.

Justice Abodakpi further ordered the parties — Bissue, the Attorney-General (representing the Kaneshie District, which allegedly issued the warrant), and the OSP — to provide written responses by the next postponed date.

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Chinese national and six others detained for mining in the Oda forest reserve

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Michael Corsa (28), Basit Shiizu (28), Amadu Musah (37), Prince Boakye (20), Amedodzi KOFI (30), and Akwasi Adu (30) are all Ghanaians, as is Shi Tianchao, a 44-year-old Chinese national.

The Bekwai Forestry Commission nabbed a Chinese national and six Ghanaians for unlawful mining known as galamsey in local vernacular.

District Manager, Ernest Adofo, told Adom News that the suspects were apprehended at the Oda Forest Reserve in the Ashanti region’s Amansie Central district.

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Following the arrest, authorities took swift action by torching six excavators utilised by these unlawful operators.

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Michael Corsa (28), Basit Shiizu (28), Amadu Musah (37), Prince Boakye (20), Amedodzi KOFI (30), and Akwasi Adu (30) are all Ghanaians, as is Shi Tianchao, a 44-year-old Chinese national.

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Heavy security in court as NAM1 pleads to new charges

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Security at the court's entrance is tight ahead of the hearing, with everyone properly vetted before access. NAM1 is scheduled to answer in court to the 39 counts on the revised charged sheet.

Following court orders, security at the entrance of the Financial and Economic Division of the High Court in Accra has been increased.

This came after counsel representing the former Menzgold Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Nana Appiah Mensah, also known as NAM1, informed the court that the company’s PRO had been attacked with an object during the previous sitting by an unnamed customer.

As a result, Justice Ernest Owusu-Dapaa, a Justice of the Court of Appeal acting as an extra High Court judge, ordered the Registrar to increase security whenever the matter came up.

Security at the court’s entrance is tight ahead of the hearing, with everyone properly vetted before access.

NAM1 is scheduled to answer in court to the 39 counts on the revised charge sheet.

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