Vice President Bawumia to visit China

Accra, June 19, 2017: The Vice President of the Republic, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia left Accra on Monday June 19, 2017 for a four day official visit to the People’s Republic of China.

The visit is at the invitation of the Chinese government.

This is the first visit by a high level government official to China since the New Patriotic Party took office in January this year.

Ghana was among the first group of Sub-Saharan African countries that established diplomatic relations with China, and the two countries have enjoyed decades of strong ties. This high level visit is expected to further strengthen the friendly relations and boost economic and political ties.

While in Beijing, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia is expected to hold bilateral talks with the Chinese Vice President, Li Yuanchao, at the Great Hall of the People, and sign a number of agreements on behalf of Ghana.

Ghana’s Vice President will also meet Chinese leaders including Mr Yu Zhengsheng, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese Political Consultative Conference.

He will also meet with the President of the China Exim Bank, Mr Liange Liu; the Executive Vice President of China Development Bank, Mr Wang Yongsheng, as well as Chinese businesses already operating in Ghana or desirous of doing so.

Dr Bawumia is further billed to attend the China-Africa Industrial Capacity Cooperation-Ghana Promotion Conference.

The Vice President, who was accompanied by a government delegation including the Senior Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo Maafo; Trade Minister Alan Kyerematen; Kwasi Amoako-Atta, Minister for Roads and Highways; Mrs Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Communications Minister; Mr Joe Ghartey, Minister for Railways; Mrs Gifty Ohene Konadu, Coordinator of the ‘One District One Factory’ initiative and Reginald Yofi Grant, Chief Executive of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre, will also meet with the Ghanaian community in China and brief them on happenings back home.

H.E. Dr Mahamudu Bawumia returns to Accra on Sunday June 25, 2017.

Defilement victim gives evidence in court

The 10-year-old girl who was defiled by a 28-year old man in the Achimota Forest Reserve, yesterday gave her evidence-in-chief at the Domestic Violence Division of the Accra Circuit Court.

The accused person, Kwame Mensah, has already pleaded not guilty to a charge of defilement levelled against him.

 The before the court, presided over by Mrs Abena Oppong Adjin-Doku has adjourned the case to June 29, 2017.

The first to testify in the case was the Greater Accra Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Mrs Edith Esi Ansah, who is also the complainant in the case,

She stated that on January 17, 2017, she was in her office when members of the rapid response team brought Mensah and the 10-year-old girl.

In her evidence-in-chief, the forestry officers told the court that, they found the girl lying down in the forest, while Mensah stood beside her in the process of wearing his trousers but on seeing the forestry officers tried absconding and was eventually apprehended.

Mrs Ansah added that upon close inspection on the girl revealed a wet substance that looked like sperms on her dress so she and her other officers, took both Mensah and the girl to the police station and lodged a formal complaint against him.

Mensah however denied the evidence given by the complainant (forestry officer), and told the court he was arrested by the forestry officers at Kotobabi and not inside the Achimota Forest.

He alluded that one of the officers led his arrest because he claims he had stolen his fowl.

The facts, as presented by the Prosecutor, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Agnes Boafo, are that the victim is a pupil while Mensah is unemployed.

According to the Prosecutor, on January 17, 2017, Mensah spotted the girl at her school and convinced her to follow him in order to collect some books and pens for her teacher.

He said Mensah lured the girl to board a car and took her to the Achimota Forest Reserve, where he asked her to lie on the floor.

ASP Boafo said the girl refused and started crying so Mensah slapped her and pulled out a knife, threatening to kill her if she does not comply. He then had sexual intercourse with her.

The prosecutor told the court that luck, however, eluded Mensah when he was spotted by the Achimota Forestry Rapid Response Task Force just as he started dressing after the sexual act.

ASP Boafo said Mensah was arrested after a hot chase, and sent him to Mrs Ansah, who subsequently lodged a complaint with the police and a medical form was issued for examination, treatment and report.

By Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei

26th Gitmo 2 Judgment day

Gitmo 2 judgment day

Tomorrow morning, the Apex court of the land, the Supreme Court (SC) will deliver judgment on the famous two ex-Guantanamo detainees popularly called “Gitmo 2”.

The case which has been dragging for some time will be determined for Ghanaians who wished to know what actually transpired during the agreement to be relieved.

Justice William Atuguba, finally slated Wednesday, April 26, 2017, as the judgment to to dispose off the matter during its hearing on February 8, 2017.

The two ex-Guantanamo detainees or Gitmo 2, are Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, who are all originally Yeminis were given asylum by the immediate past administration led by President John Dramani Mahama.

Although the agreement did not go down well with majority of Ghanaians knowing the history of the two as ex-terrorists, they are currently living in Ghana after their release from the Guantanomo Bay Detention Camp in Cuba.

This hullabaloo over their living in Ghana eventually ended up in a suit which was filed in February 2016, by two Ghanaians, Mrs. Margaret Banful, a retired staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, and Mr. Henry Nana Boakye from Buokrom Estates, Kumasi, against the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, and the Ministry of the Interior for accepting Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby (all Yeminis) in Ghana.

The plaintiffs in their suit avers that, that the circumstances that led to the incarceration of the “Gitmo 2” for 14 years without trial in Cuba as terrorists, had the tendency of threatening national security and should, therefore, be taken back to where they came from.

The lawyer for the plaintiffs, Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, they (plaintiffs) before the court argued that, that the then President, John Dramani Mahama acted unconstitutionally when he entered into the agreement with the former U.S. President, Barack Obama without recourse to Parliament

During proceedings it was eventually uncovered the President of the day, Mr. Mahama went into the agreement in what is known in the diplomatic circles as “Note Verbales” (Verbal agreement) with the former U.S. President, Barack Obama without recourse to Parliament and not any documented agreement.

The Plaintiffs through their lawyer pleaded with the Supreme Court to order the Attorney-General to produce the said agreement (Note Verbales) before it to ascertain its authenticity.

This was due to the the assertion by the Acting Solicitor-General, Mrs. Helen Awo Ziwu, that the document was “confidential” and that its open disclosure in the court room violated section one (1) of the State Secretes Act, 1962 (Act 101).

The seven-member Supreme Court Justices, presided by Justice William Atuguba, upheld the submission by plaintiffs and ordered that the document be produced before the court.

The contents of the agreement were however studied in-camera, and this was done when the former Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Ayine complied with the instruction as issued.

The apex court subsequently established that there was no security risk with regard to the document and that the trial would take its normal proceedings.

The two Mahmud Umar Muhammad Bin Atef and Khalid Muhammad Salih Al-Dhuby, are seeking refuge based on the diplomatic agreement between the government of Ghana led by Mr. Mahama and the government of the United States of America led by Mr. Obama both ex presidents of their respective countries.

By Maame Agyeiwaa Agyei