A KOFORIDUA High Court has sentenced three armed robbers to 50 years’ imprisonment each for robbing a household and killing one Nicholas Ofori, the husband of the owner of the house.
The incident occurred at Agormanya in the Eastern Region on December 3, 2001.
The three Moses Tetteh Nartey, Yaw Mark Kuma and Moses Balobe, pleaded not guilty on each of the two charges of conspiracy and robbery.
The court, however, found them guilty on both charges and sentenced them to 25 years on each of the two counts to run concurrently.
Three other accomplices Michael Osanyogbo, Tetteh Tsu and Emmanuel, whose taxi was used in the robbery all died in custody at different periods during the trial.
Before passing sentence, the judge, Justice F. Mieza Anyimiah, said the court was convinced that the three, together with their deceased accomplices, committed the act and as such it would deal drastically with them.
He said although the convicts said they were not at the scene of the crime, they failed to prove so.
Presenting the facts of the case to the court at an earlier sitting, Mrs Emily Addo-Okyireh, a Principal State Attorney, said on December 3, 2001, Mrs Veronica Ofori, together with her late husband and children were at midnight at Agormanya, when a gang of six robbers armed with guns and other implements attacked them.
She said the robbers shot dead Ofori, molested her and some of her children before they took away unspecified sum of money and jewels belonging to the family.
She said Moses Tetteh Nartey, who was first arrested, mentioned the names of the other accomplices after which they were also apprehended.
The deceased robbers, she said, died in the course of the trial.
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
ASSEMBLIES OF GOD CAUTIONS MEDIA (PAGE 20)
THE Eastern Regional Superintendent of the Assemblies of God Church, Reverend Alex Ofori Amankwaa, has cautioned journalists especially those in the regions to be prudent in their reportage at all times.
This, he said, would go a long way in preserving the peace currently prevailing in the regions and the country in general.
Rev. Amankwaa, who is also the Head Pastor of the Koforidua Central Chapel of the church, gave the caution in a New Year message he delivered on the first Sunday of the year at Koforidua.
He said journalists had the responsibility of providing the necessary information that would help maintain the country’s peaceful atmosphere where people would see themselves as one.
Rev. Amankwaa also called on the new government to see how best to address the problems associated with the recent general election, adding that it was the best way to unite the people.
“We are of the view that if journalists should be cautious in their reportage and feed the people with information that would unite them and the government also takes steps to address the problems encountered during the elections, the people would remain united and forge ahead in the development process,” he stated.
Later in a sermon, Rev. Amankwaa asked Christians to continue to show compassion to the needy.
He said christians should not compromise their faith but to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ for a happy life that would at the same time lead to salvation.
A member of the clergy of the church, Prophet Stephen Vidzro, advised members of the congregation, especially the youth, not to take decisions that would impact negatively on them in the future.
This, he said, would go a long way in preserving the peace currently prevailing in the regions and the country in general.
Rev. Amankwaa, who is also the Head Pastor of the Koforidua Central Chapel of the church, gave the caution in a New Year message he delivered on the first Sunday of the year at Koforidua.
He said journalists had the responsibility of providing the necessary information that would help maintain the country’s peaceful atmosphere where people would see themselves as one.
Rev. Amankwaa also called on the new government to see how best to address the problems associated with the recent general election, adding that it was the best way to unite the people.
“We are of the view that if journalists should be cautious in their reportage and feed the people with information that would unite them and the government also takes steps to address the problems encountered during the elections, the people would remain united and forge ahead in the development process,” he stated.
Later in a sermon, Rev. Amankwaa asked Christians to continue to show compassion to the needy.
He said christians should not compromise their faith but to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ for a happy life that would at the same time lead to salvation.
A member of the clergy of the church, Prophet Stephen Vidzro, advised members of the congregation, especially the youth, not to take decisions that would impact negatively on them in the future.
CURBING MOTOR ACCIDENTS EASTERN REGION (PAGE 20)
THE Eastern Region with a population of approximately 2.5 million is one of the 10 political entities with a well-developed road network.
It has 1,453 kilometres of well-maintained trunk roads and 3,150 kilometres of feeder roads, most of which are passable throughout the year.
Such a good road network said to be among the best in the country, with few dangerous spots such as the Suhum Roundabout on the main Accra-Kumasi Highway and the Amanprobi curve near Mamfe on the Koforidua-Mamfe Road, should under normal circumstances have limited number of vehicular accidents.
However, various factors particularly the inability of motorists, especially commercial drivers, to adhere to traffic regulations has resulted in a high rate of motor accidents, making the region the graveyard of not only passengers but pedestrians.
For instance between January and December, 2007, 1,307 motor accidents involving 1,570 vehicles were recorded in the region in which 215 people lost their lives and 1,568 sustained various degrees of injury.
The following year (2008) the number of deaths increased to 245 while 1,465 were injured with 322 of them in serious conditions.
A worrying aspect of the 2008 accidents is that 86 of the dead comprising 62 males and 24 females were knocked down by vehicles along the streets in towns and villages.
That was because drivers of such vehicles did not comply with traffic regulations that stipulate that they should not exceed 50 kilometres while driving through towns and villages.
To help minimise the motor accidents, a number of organisations such as the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police, the Regional Office of the Road Safety Commission and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) have for the past year being taking measures to address the calamity.
The MTTU, under the command of Superintendent J. Sarfo Peprah, has for instance put personnel at vantage points throughout the region, especially in the centre of municipalities and towns that have heavy concentration of people.
They include Koforidua, Akyem Oda, Somanya, Nkawkaw, Asamankese and Suhum, as well as many villages dotted along the highways.
The policemen, who have been instructed to ensure that drivers observe traffic regulations as enshrined in the Road Traffic Act 683 (2004), are also mandated to see to it that all vehicles plying the roads are roadworthy.
“Most of the roads are good and under normal circumstances should not be death traps but a lot of accidents occur due to the recklessness of drivers some of who do not obey the regulations as enshrined in the Road Traffic Act so we will always be on guard to see that the proper thing is done.
“We will also ensure that the law takes its course on recalcitrant drivers most of who should also be well educated on road safety,” Superintendent Peprah stated.
Superintendent Peprah, who had just celebrated 60 days in office as the regional MTTU boss, said his men would now be using a special equipment, the falcon radar gun, an improved version of the radar gun that was previously used to check speeding on the roads.
He, however, stated that since it was not possible to station policemen at all vantage points to check drivers who would disregard traffic regulations, the travelling public must also play a part by prevailing on drivers to adhere to speed limits.
The GPRTU, the oldest and best organised private road transport organisation, on its part has now intensified its road safety awareness programme to ensure that its members do the right thing at all times.
According to the Principal Industrial Relations Officer at the regional secretariat of the union, Mr Salifu Alhassan, officers at the various stations of the union ensure that vehicles do not overtake one another in a rush to offload and re-load passengers.
“Most of the time it is only drivers of vehicles that go in for passengers along the road who over-speed to overtake one another leading to accidents and so far as such a trend picks up, accidents will continue to occur,” Mr Alhassan stated.
The regional office of the Road Safety Commission under Mr Stephen Anokye has also of late intensified education on road safety at various lorry parks, notably Kpong, Koforidua, Nkawkaw and Akyem Oda where a lot of drivers have been schooled on what to do to avoid motor accidents.
Mr Anokye’s outfit in collaboration with the MTTU and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has also in addition planned to establish a drivers’ academy at Koforidua this year to offer theoretical training on road safety to drivers.
The school, to be christened Eastern Regional Drivers’ Academy, would also educate drivers on the psychological effects of motor accidents so that they would be mindful of their recklessness on the road.
Although these relevant stakeholders have done what is expected of them to reduce the high rate of motor accidents in the region, much depends on the drivers to ensure decency on the roads.
This is because such bad drivers, some of who are not even licensed to drive, would continue to be at the steering wheel, posing a big danger to other road users.
It is therefore expected that the new government would re-examine the issue carefully so that the prescribed penalty which would deter drivers from going “wayward” would be given to offenders.
This will go a long way in keeping drivers on track to curb the high rate of vehicular accidents in the region.
It has 1,453 kilometres of well-maintained trunk roads and 3,150 kilometres of feeder roads, most of which are passable throughout the year.
Such a good road network said to be among the best in the country, with few dangerous spots such as the Suhum Roundabout on the main Accra-Kumasi Highway and the Amanprobi curve near Mamfe on the Koforidua-Mamfe Road, should under normal circumstances have limited number of vehicular accidents.
However, various factors particularly the inability of motorists, especially commercial drivers, to adhere to traffic regulations has resulted in a high rate of motor accidents, making the region the graveyard of not only passengers but pedestrians.
For instance between January and December, 2007, 1,307 motor accidents involving 1,570 vehicles were recorded in the region in which 215 people lost their lives and 1,568 sustained various degrees of injury.
The following year (2008) the number of deaths increased to 245 while 1,465 were injured with 322 of them in serious conditions.
A worrying aspect of the 2008 accidents is that 86 of the dead comprising 62 males and 24 females were knocked down by vehicles along the streets in towns and villages.
That was because drivers of such vehicles did not comply with traffic regulations that stipulate that they should not exceed 50 kilometres while driving through towns and villages.
To help minimise the motor accidents, a number of organisations such as the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Police, the Regional Office of the Road Safety Commission and the Ghana Private Road Transport Union (GPRTU) have for the past year being taking measures to address the calamity.
The MTTU, under the command of Superintendent J. Sarfo Peprah, has for instance put personnel at vantage points throughout the region, especially in the centre of municipalities and towns that have heavy concentration of people.
They include Koforidua, Akyem Oda, Somanya, Nkawkaw, Asamankese and Suhum, as well as many villages dotted along the highways.
The policemen, who have been instructed to ensure that drivers observe traffic regulations as enshrined in the Road Traffic Act 683 (2004), are also mandated to see to it that all vehicles plying the roads are roadworthy.
“Most of the roads are good and under normal circumstances should not be death traps but a lot of accidents occur due to the recklessness of drivers some of who do not obey the regulations as enshrined in the Road Traffic Act so we will always be on guard to see that the proper thing is done.
“We will also ensure that the law takes its course on recalcitrant drivers most of who should also be well educated on road safety,” Superintendent Peprah stated.
Superintendent Peprah, who had just celebrated 60 days in office as the regional MTTU boss, said his men would now be using a special equipment, the falcon radar gun, an improved version of the radar gun that was previously used to check speeding on the roads.
He, however, stated that since it was not possible to station policemen at all vantage points to check drivers who would disregard traffic regulations, the travelling public must also play a part by prevailing on drivers to adhere to speed limits.
The GPRTU, the oldest and best organised private road transport organisation, on its part has now intensified its road safety awareness programme to ensure that its members do the right thing at all times.
According to the Principal Industrial Relations Officer at the regional secretariat of the union, Mr Salifu Alhassan, officers at the various stations of the union ensure that vehicles do not overtake one another in a rush to offload and re-load passengers.
“Most of the time it is only drivers of vehicles that go in for passengers along the road who over-speed to overtake one another leading to accidents and so far as such a trend picks up, accidents will continue to occur,” Mr Alhassan stated.
The regional office of the Road Safety Commission under Mr Stephen Anokye has also of late intensified education on road safety at various lorry parks, notably Kpong, Koforidua, Nkawkaw and Akyem Oda where a lot of drivers have been schooled on what to do to avoid motor accidents.
Mr Anokye’s outfit in collaboration with the MTTU and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has also in addition planned to establish a drivers’ academy at Koforidua this year to offer theoretical training on road safety to drivers.
The school, to be christened Eastern Regional Drivers’ Academy, would also educate drivers on the psychological effects of motor accidents so that they would be mindful of their recklessness on the road.
Although these relevant stakeholders have done what is expected of them to reduce the high rate of motor accidents in the region, much depends on the drivers to ensure decency on the roads.
This is because such bad drivers, some of who are not even licensed to drive, would continue to be at the steering wheel, posing a big danger to other road users.
It is therefore expected that the new government would re-examine the issue carefully so that the prescribed penalty which would deter drivers from going “wayward” would be given to offenders.
This will go a long way in keeping drivers on track to curb the high rate of vehicular accidents in the region.
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