Monthly Archives: February 2024

News

Ahmed Suale’s killers will face justice – AG assures

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The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has assured that the killers of investigative journalist, Ahmed Suale, will surely face justice.

Addressing Parliament on various matters in response to some questions filed by some members of the House, the Attorney General said everything is being done to ensure that the killers of Ahmed Suale are arrested and prosecuted.

“Pursuant to further request for information on the state of investigation, a second investigation docket was received by my Office in 2023. The docket indicated that investigations into the case are still ongoing, and the identities of the perpetrators were still outstanding. No identifiable suspects have been found yet.“

Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame disclosed to Parliament that there have been extensive investigations conducted on the Ahmed Suale matter, some even beyond the shores of Ghana by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

He revealed that the United States Government was contacted through the American Embassy in Accra to undertake a forensic examination of some devices which were used by the deceased before his gruesome murder.

He added that there were also some investigations into the said devices by the Department of Geomatic Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi.

The Attorney General also provided updates on high-profile murder cases including the murder of Ahmed Suale, Fennec Okyere, JB Danquah, Shadrack Arloo, Major Maxwell Mahama, and Prof. Benneh.

Length of Time of the Investigations

The Attorney-General expressed his sympathies with the family of the late Ahmed Suale on the length of time taken for the investigations so far but indicated that some murder cases indeed take time to resolve.

He cited the example of the murder of the legendary American rapper, Tupac Shakur, who was murdered in the mid-90s but whose murderer was established by the United States authorities only a few months ago.

“Just like the murderer of the late Tupac Shakur, justice will surely catch up with the murderers of Ahmed Suale. Mr. Speaker indeed the government is fully committed to ensuring that the murderers of the late Ahmed Suale are found and brought to book. ”

 

News

Police worse off under Dampare; morale of personnel gone – Fmr CID Boss

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A former Director General of CID of the Ghana Police Service, retired Commissioner of Police (COP), Mr Bright Oduro has said the morale of the personnel in the service has declined under the leadership of the new Inspector General of Police, Dr. George Akuffo Dampare.

He believes there are begging issues within the service that have been  left untouched and negatively affecting the Police administration.

In an interview on Inside Politics on TV XYZ, the retired officer bemoaned secret recruitments in the police service and indicated that it was bad.

“During our time, police recruitments were advertised and people who made it into the service were those who passed the training… Although there was protocol but it did not take over the traditional recruitment as we see today,” he stated.

Apart from that, COP RTD Oduro said the current police administration was not transparent with certain information such as detailed accounts of some crimes that have been committed in the past, adding that centralising police communication was bad.

To him, decentralising police communication was the way to go because it brings about clarity of issues unlike centralising it to only Accra where information is massaged.

One thing he also added was that the IGP, Dr Dampare is not transparent with his management strategy and also fails to consult other predecessors.

COP Oduro believes the morale of the police is down because the chain of communication among police officers has been stifled and preventing personnel from voicing out issues bothering them.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

 

Foreign, Sports

Dani Alves found guilty of nightclub rape

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A court in Spain has found former Barcelona and Brazil footballer Dani Alves guilty of raping a woman in a Barcelona nightclub.

He has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison.

The 40-year-old, who is one of the most decorated footballers in history, had denied sexually assaulting the woman in the early hours of 31 December 2022.

His lawyer had asked for his acquittal and said she would appeal against the verdict.

A lawyer for the victim welcomed the verdict, saying that it “recognises what we have always known: the truth [as told] by the victim and the suffering there has been”.

As well as handing Alves a four-and-a-half year sentence, the court said he should face a further five years’ probation.

The prosecution had asked for a nine-year prison sentence. In Spain, a claim of rape is investigated under the general accusation of sexual assault, and convictions can lead to prison sentences of four to 15 years.

According to Spanish media, the court took into account Alves’s decision to pay the victim €150,000 (£128,500) in damages regardless of the outcome of the trial when it decided on the length of his prison term.

The court did not, however, accept the argument put forward by his lawyers that he should be given a more lenient sentence because he was drunk.

His wife Joana Sanz, 31, said he had appeared very drunk when he got back to their Barcelona home the night of the rape and had bumped into furniture before collapsing on the bed.

But the court argued that his alcohol consumption had not affected his behaviour.

Prosecutors said Alves and his friend had bought champagne for three young women before Alves lured one of them to a VIP area of the nightclub with a toilet which she had no knowledge of.

They argued that it was at this point he turned violent, forcing the woman to have sex despite her repeated requests to leave.

Alves had maintained she could have left “if she wanted to”. However, the court found that she did not consent.

Spanish law was changed recently to enshrine the importance of consent under the so-called “Only Yes is Yes” principle.

In a statement, the court said there was evidence other than the victim’s testimony that proved that she had been raped.

It said Alves had “abruptly grabbed the complainant” and thrown her to the ground. He had then raped her while preventing her from moving as “the complainant said no and wanted to leave”, it added.

The woman said the rape had caused her “anguish and terror”, and one of her friends who was with her on the night described how the 23-year-old had cried “uncontrollably” after leaving the bathroom.

Alves has been held in pre-trial detention since January 2023 and has changed his testimony on a number of occasions.

He first denied knowing his accuser only to claim later that he had met her in the toilet but that nothing had happened between them.

He then changed his version of events again, saying that they had had consensual sex. “We were both enjoying ourselves,” he alleged.

Alves played more than 400 times for Barcelona, winning six league titles and three Champions Leagues across two spells with the club. He was also part of Brazil’s 2022 World Cup squad.

He has won trophies playing for Sevilla, Juventus and PSG and is among Brazil’s most capped internationals, with 126 appearances.

 

 

Source :BBC

News, Politics, Topstory

Majority Leader’s resignation: All isn’t well with NPP – Analyst

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A Senior Political Science Lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), Dr. Gbensuglo Alidu Bukari, says that the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, was forced to resign his post.

There are some media reports that suggest that Mr Mensah-Bonsu, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Suame Constituency in the Ashanti Region, resigned his position as the leader of the Majority caucus on Wednesday, February 21, 2024.

Neither has the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) nor Mr Mensah Bonsu communicated his resignation publicly.

However, on Tuesday, February 20, 2024, the Majority caucus in Parliament held a press conference and said the caucus had no plans to change their leadership, and that any claim that the Majority Caucus was going to change their leadership should be disregarded.

The said press conference was addressed by the MP for Bekwai constituency, Joe Osei Owusu, who also doubles as the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament.

Prior to the Majority Caucus’ press conference, there were some reports that the Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu was going to be replaced with his Deputy, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

“The publications that are going around are false, the majority caucus has not made any changes to its leadership, and the majority caucus has not contemplated making any changes to its leadership and we want to tell you to ignore any such publication,” Mr Osei Owusu said.

For him, the majority caucus was confident in their leadership and that the “the status quo shall remain.”

But Mr Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu is said to have willingly offered to step down in order to calm down the tension that was brewing within the Majority Caucus.

The development follows brief tensions between the caucus and the executive after it emerged that there were moves to reshuffle the leadership of the majority caucus.

Speaking on Accra-based 3FM on Thursday afternoon, February 22, 2024, Dr Alidu Bukari expressed the view that the governing party needed to take immediate steps to ensure that the issue does not affect the party’s fortunes, particularly in the Ashanti Region where the Majority Leader comes from.

For him, for the Majority Leader to resign from his position at this time “means all is not well with the party.”

 

Source: Graphic

News, Politics

National Cathedral Scandal: Ablakwa’s passionate ‘love’ letter to Joyce Aryee & Co reflects plight of flood victims

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National Cathedral Scandal: Ablakwa’s passionate ‘love’ letter to Joyce Aryee & Co reflects plight of flood victims

He writes

If the US$58million (GHS724million) squandered to dig Akufo-Addo’s cathedral pit was available today, we could construct an impressive 289 of the modern disability friendly resettlement homes I spearheaded for VRA spillage victims.

These 289 resettlement projects with an occupancy of 300 persons each would have housed a significant 86,700 Ghanaians.

Remember, 86,700 is more than twice the 40,000 people displaced across the country according to NADMO — this means taxpayer funds spent on the world’s most expensive pit is more than enough to provide decent homes for all 40,000 displaced compatriots, and create additional 46,700 affordable homes to address Ghana’s acute housing crisis.
It’s all about leadership choices.

As we reflect on this, let me congratulate the National Cathedral’s Rev. Dr. Joyce Rosalind Aryee on her top appointment to Bawumia’s NPP Campaign Team. Hopefully, with National Cathedral board members moving into full time NPP politics, the scandal-infested cathedral pit will remain abandoned in the interest of suffocating taxpayers.

News, Showbiz

Hajia4Reall pleads guilty in $2m romance scam case

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Ghanaian social media personality, Mona Faiz Montrage, popularly known as Hajia4Reall, has pleaded guilty in a $2 million romance scam case.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office website, the socialite pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to receive stolen money.

This charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison. Hajia4Reall also agreed to pay forfeiture for $2,164,758.41 and make restitution in the same amount.

The social media personality is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge, Paul A. Crotty later.

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Damian Williams, announced the guilty plea.

Attorney Williams said, “Mona Faiz Montrage knowingly received money stolen from older Americans through romance scams and was arrested abroad and now faces serious consequences for her actions.”

He insisted that the romance scam harmed vulnerable, elderly victims who had to face the tough reality that their romantic connections online were fake.

“This Office and our law enforcement partners are relentless in bringing fraudsters who target Americans to justice, no matter where they are,” the Attorney added.

Background

Hajia4Reall was extradited to the United States from the United Kingdom over her alleged involvement in a $2 million romance scam locally called ‘sakawa’ targeting older, single Americans, in May 2023.

Prosecutors said she was charged with conspiracy to commit and committing wire fraud and money laundering, each of which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.

She was also charged with receipt of stolen money, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail, and conspiracy to receive stolen money, with a maximum of five years.

According to the prosecution, from at least in/or about 2013 through in/or about 2019, the Influencer was a member of a Criminal Enterprise based in Ghana that committed a series of frauds against individuals and businesses in the United States.

The Enterprise, they indicated, frequently conducted the romance scams by sending the victims emails, text messages, and social media messages that deceived the victims into believing that they were in romantic relationships with a person who was, in fact, a fake identity assumed by members of the Enterprise.

Once members of the Enterprise had successfully convinced victims that they were in a romantic relationship and had gained their trust, they convinced the victims, under false pretences, to transfer money to bank accounts the victims believed were controlled by their romantic interests, when, in fact, the bank accounts were controlled by members of the Enterprise.

The prosecution noted that Hajia4Reall received money from several victims of romance frauds whom members of the Enterprise tricked into sending money.  Among the false pretences used to induce victims to send money to Hajia4Reall were payments to transport gold to the U.S. from overseas payments to resolve a fake FBI investigation, and payments to assist a fake U.S. Army officer in receiving funds from Afghanistan.

In total, Hajia4Reall controlled bank accounts that received over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the Enterprise.

But, the socialite initially pleaded not guilty to all charges in May 2023 and was later released on bail.

On June 26, 2023, she reiterated her innocence in a now-deleted post on Instagram. She expressed appreciation to her fans for “your love and prayers showed to me during these difficult times.”

She added that it is only a matter of time before she is vindicated.

“There is time for everything, and the world will come to know the truth, and my story will be heard,” she wrote in the caption.

News, Politics

COCOBOD broke and likely to be sold – Eric Opoku

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The Minority Spokesperson on Agriculture and Cocoa Affairs, Mr Eric Opoku, has cautioned the government to act swiftly to save the Ghana Cocoa Board from collapsing.

Mr Opoku who is also the member of Parliament for Asunafo Soouth in the Ahafo Region said COCOBOD has been poorly managed and incurred a lot of losses that is threatening the imminent shut down of the company.

In an interview on the Gumbe Show on TV XYZ, the Legislator said the COCOBOD has been unable to find solutions to current challenges confronting the institution, urging that the CEO, Joseph Boahen Aidoo be sacked.

He said the COCOBOD owes Ghanaian banks to the tune of GHS 8.1 billion through bonds to be able to purchase cocoa but added that the funds were mismanaged.

“By next year, if the government is unable to get some funds to pay the debts owed by COCOBOD, I won’t be surprised that some of the banks will sue the company and its assets will be ordered to be sold,” he told host Oheneba Boamah.

Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer of the COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo has told Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee that the company is struggling due to the impact of cocoa smuggling and illegal mining.

He said the company lost over 150,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans to smuggling in 2023. According to the COCOBOD CEO, cocoa production has also declined due to the activities of illegal miners (galamsey) and disease attacks.

Minority Wants CEO Sacked

However, a minority member of the Public Accounts Committee, Ibrahim Murtala Muhammed, Member of Parliament for Tamale Central, says he does not believe the explanations of the COCOBOD CEO.

“As the country that produced the highest quality of cocoa, even at a point in time we were producing more cocoa than the Ivory Coast. And it got to a stage that Ivory Coast overtook us, this is what happens, it’s always like a twin relationship, sometimes we overtake them, sometimes they overtake us. One thing that they have never overtaken us is the quality of the cocoa that we produce. Why is it that we are no longer producing the highest quality of cocoa?”

When told that officialdom attribute the decline in fortunes to galamsey, Murtala disagreed.

“What galamsey? The issue of galamsey didn’t start today, and I remember as a member of COCOBOD, issues came up and that was the reason why, frontally, under the leadership of Dr. Opuni and President Mahama it was fought frontally. I will not say we didn’t have galamsey, but the level of havoc that galamsey was causing to our cocoa is not as it is today.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

News, Topstory

Parliament ready to pass Anti-LGBTQ+ Bill

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Parliament will soon pass the controversial Anti-LGBTQ+ bill after it was laid in the chamber three years ago.

Deputy Majority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, who had suggested some amendments that had the tendency to prolong the debate of the Bill withdrew it later.

Among his suggestions, he called for a meeting between the flagbearers of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress to seek a consensus on the bill, was deemed to be a destruction and was swiftly rejected by the Speaker.

The anti-LGBTQ+ bill sponsored by eight private Members of Parliament led by Ningo Prampram constituency MP, Samuel Nartey George, had stalled for months.

The bill which was expected to be passed last week was blocked by Mr Afenyo-Markin who proposed several new amendments.

He argued that he was not outrightly against the principles of the bill but supported it, however, he opposed a provision that would lead to the imprisonment of individuals accused of engaging in or promoting LGBTQ activities.

The Deputy Majority leader stressed that the punitive action of the bill would not aid in rehabilitating the culprits.

He stressed that the crux of the matter had to do with behavioural issues, stating that when addressing such matters, imprisonment is not a viable solution as it exacerbates the situation rather than resolves it.

 

Source: Myxyzonline.com

Sports

Autopsy reveals Kelvin Kiptum died from head injuries

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An autopsy has revealed that Kenyan world marathon record holder, Kelvin Kiptum, died from severe head injuries sustained in a car crash.

The athlete’s life was cut short in a late-night accident near his home in north-western Kenya on 11 February, in which his Rwandan coach, Gervais Hakizimana, also died.

Kiptum’s death came just months after he set a men’s world record of 2 hours and 35 seconds in the Chicago Marathon.

The 24-year-old was reportedly planning a bid to run the 42-kilometre distance in under two hours in the Rotterdam marathon in April, a feat that has never been achieved before in open competition.

The late star runner will be laid to rest at his home village on Friday in what is expected to be a state event attend by Kenyan president, William Ruto.

 

Source : Africanews

Sports

Thomas Tuchel to leave at end of season

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FC Bayern Munich and head coach Thomas Tuchelh ave jointly decided to end their working relationship, which was originally set to run until 30 June 2025, on 30 June 2024. This is the outcome of a constructive discussion between CEO Jan-Christiani Dreesen and Thomas Tuchel. 

FC Bayern CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen: “In a good, open discussion, we came to the decision to end our working relationship by mutual agreement in the summer. Our goal is to pursue a new footballing direction with a new head coach for the 2024/25 season. Until then, every individual at the club is expressly called upon to achieve the maximum possible in the Champions League and Bundesliga. I also explicitly hold the team accountable in this regard. In the Champions League in particular, after losing 1-0 in the first leg at Lazio, we are convinced we will reach the quarter-finals at a packed Allianz Arena with our fans behind us.”

Thomas Tuchel: “We have agreed that we will end our working relationship at the end of this season. Until then, I will of course continue to do everything I can with my coaching staff to achieve maximum success.” 

Thomas Tuchel succeeded Julian Nagelsmann as head coach of FC Bayern in March 2023. Just over two months later, he celebrated winning the Bundesliga with the club.

Source : fcbayern.com

News, Showbiz

Matthew Ansah to release new single “Amen Anthem”

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Gospel artiste Matthew Ansah is gearing up to release a new single, “Amen Anthem,” a worship song that promises to resonate with audiences seeking spiritual inspiration and true communion with God.

Matthew Ansah’s “Amen Anthem” is slated for release on 23rd February 2024, and it’s the first song to be outdoored on the recently live-recorded “Mahanaim” album.

This marks a significant chapter in the artiste’s musical journey.

The announcement was made via his official social media platforms, generating anticipation among his growing fan base.

Produced by Emmanuel Djokoto, “Amen Anthem” will be on all major Digital Music Platforms.

The song creates a spiritual atmosphere for fellowship with God in worship and adoration. It is a simple yet captivating song that offers an intimate and uplifting worship experience.

In his statement about the upcoming release, Matthew Ansah expressed his excitement and urged the public to embrace all his spirit-filled songs and spread the word.

“As you join me in sharing this song, you become part of a greater purpose, which is to spread love, communion, and the celebration of God’s goodness,” he remarked.

The management team representing Matthew Ansah under the Cross Records label conveyed their enthusiasm, emphasising that “Amen Anthem” is a testament to the artiste’s unwavering commitment to gospel music and his mission to inspire and uplift others through his musical expressions.

This release comes after a long break since his first album was released in 2011.

The multifaceted Matthew Ansah is a renowned Marketing and Communications Consultant who’s managed several brands and large-scale projects in Africa and beyond.

He has also for the past 10 years been widely known as a favorite MC for corporate and social events. He is currently the Team Lead for Lyme Haus, a leading Marketing & Communications firm in Ghana.

 

News, Politics, Topstory

The Majority Leadership Shake-up: Why the Speculation?

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The alleged shake-up in the Leadership of the Majority Caucus in the Parliament of Ghana has sparked a whirlwind of speculation and intrigue.

The purported termination of appointment of the Majority Leader, Hon. Osei Kyei-Mensah- Bonsu and his colleagues have left many Ghanaians pondering the motives behind this unexpected change.

The alleged lack of consultation with the Leaders has only added fuel to the fire. This has led many to question the source of the leaked information and whether it was a deliberate move to push a hidden agenda or an approved decision by some members of the NPP Leadership.

The perplexing question on the minds of people is: Why the change?

Under Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s leadership, the NPP achieved significant milestones, including the passage of crucial bills, approval of major deals/ agreements, as well as successful budget presentations.

With such accomplishments under their belt, the rationale behind the supposed change remains shrouded in mystery.

Despite the challenging nature of the current Parliament, with the NPP and the NDC holding almost equal numbers, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu’s leadership has managed to navigate through without any major rejections of bills or deals since 2017.

His nearly 30 years of parliamentary experience speaks volumes, raising further questions about the necessity of this change.

The lack of transparency surrounding the surmised reshuffle has only fueled speculations, with some suggesting that the move may be linked to the alleged failure to support the retention of Ken Ofori-Atta, a family member of the President, as Finance Minister.

This speculation gains traction from calls by some NPP MPs for the President to dismiss Ken Ofori-Atta, a move that was not heeded.

Could this have played a role in the suspected change in Leadership?

Reports of a meeting between the NPP Leadership and the Majority Caucus in Parliament to address the speculated leadership change have only added to the intrigue.

Following the meeting, the Majority Caucus vehemently dismissed reports of an impending leadership change, emphasizing the stability and unity among its members.

This only deepens the mystery surrounding the leaked information and the motives behind it.

As the dust settles, the lingering questions remain unanswered. Who leaked the information about the changes to the media, and what was the motive behind it?

Until the Party provides comprehensive information to address these questions, the air of uncertainty will continue to loom over the apparent reshuffle in the Parliament of Ghana.

The intrigue persists, and until clarity is provided, all eyes will remain fixed on the unfolding developments.