Her comments follow a 30-day ultimatum issued to the Independent Examination Board (IEB) by the SRC of the Ghana School of Law to re-mark the scripts of students who failed the exams.

[contextly_sidebar id=”06asiWNR2uappFN5LCt3CYCNxNPbteHu”]Only 91 out of the 474 students who sat the bar exams written in May and September last year passed.

The students have since been protesting the results and have planned to petition the Chief Justice.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana, Gloria Akuffo said an investigation would help unravel the true cause of the mass failure.

“Let us investigate what is the real cause of this large numbers. Is it because lecturers are not good enough? Is it because they do not have good material? Is it because the students themselves are not applying themselves efficiently and begin to find solutions to these.”

‘Parliamentary inquiry’

Her suggestion comes a day after a lawyer, Kwaku Asare, also called on Parliament to investigate the mass failure.

Mr. Asare also made a number of calls including asking Parliament to summon the Director of the Ghana School of Law to explain why they “unlawfully denied access to about 3,000 students who under the laws of Ghana are qualified to have professional legal education.”

The lawyer also called for the setting up of a committee of legal examiners by Parliament to “review the examination, the marking scheme and the exams scripts to find out what has gone terribly wrong with these examinations.”

The massive failure comes at a time when Parliament is debating an LI brought before it by the General Legal Council (GLC); the body that oversees the legal profession and legal education in Ghana.

The LI, if endorsed by Parliament, will see the legalization of entrance examination and interview processes by the GLC for prospective law students.

‘Re-mark exam scrips, scrap exam board’

In the wake of this development, the Students’ Representative Council (SRC) of the Ghana School of Law, has also called for the examination scripts of the Ghana Law School students to be re-marked.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, the President of the school’s SRC, Sammy Gyamfi, said the results did not accurately reflect the performance of the students who sat for the exams.

He stated that in order to ensure the integrity of the exams and the results which were released, the scripts have to be re-marked by “a credible and independent body.”

“Clearly this is a sad day for professional legal education for Ghana. The published results are very dispiriting and discouraging, very disappointing and clearly unacceptable. The results as we have now don’t reflect the true performance of the students. We can’t vouch for the integrity of these results, the integrity of the results is questionable,” he said.

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By: Marian Ansah & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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This comes weeks after CHRAJ cleared the Finance Minister of conflict of interest allegations following a petition forwarded by a known National Democratic Congress (NDC) member, Brogya Genfi.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ouueERM8UAv6gZ69XsaLE8VRgjprejHl”]CHRAJ in its report had stated that “on the basis of the evidence available to the Commission, it has come to the conclusion and therefore holds that, the allegations by the complainant that the respondent has contravened Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution by putting himself in a conflict of interest situation in relation to the issuance of the 5-year, 7-year, 10-year and 15-year bonds, have not been substantiated.”

But the Convener for this new group, Edward Tutor, speaking on Eyewitness News explained that, the decision to clear Mr. Ofori Atta of any wrongdoing contravenes Article 284 of the constitution.

Mr. Tutor said their suit is to therefore to invoke the Supreme Court to interpret Article 284 of the 1992 constitution.

“Yes indeed, it is true that CHRAJ has conducted investigations into the accusations of conflict of interest on the $2.25 billion bond, but when we took a look at the CHRAJ report, one thing we found outstanding was that there seemed to be a dichotomy between the methodology applied by CHRAJ and its final conclusions. And I will give you one typical example. CHRAJ alluded in its report that the Finance Minister did not disclose three companies that he has interest in. These are Data Bank Financial Services, Data Bank Limited and Data Bank Holdings.

“These three companies are in security dealings and for that reason, the Finance Minister finds himself in a potential conflict of interest scenario. However, because the Finance Minister did not benefit directly from the said transaction, it means he is cleared of conflict of interest. We are all aware of Article 284. The Article says that as a public official, you should not even find yourself in a conflict of interest situation in the first place. The framers of the constitution did not say that you should find yourself there but do not benefit. We believe the decision taken by CHRAJ to interpret 284 and based on that interpretation sought to clear the Finance Minister looks a bit dicey …There is therefore the need for the Supreme Court to be invoked to interpret Article 284…This is why we are moving to the Supreme Court,” Mr. Tutor explained.

Mr. Tutor expressed the hope that the suit will bring “clarity and finality” to the matter.

CHRAJ commenced the investigations six months ago after Mr. Genfi, petitioned it in April 2017, to investigate Ken Ofori-Atta’s position in the issuance of the bond.

According to Mr. Genfi, Ken Ofori-Atta, secured 95 percent of the bond for his family and friends.

He said Mr. Ofori Atta “has attempted to promote a private or personal interest for himself or for some family members and business associates, and the promotion of the private interest has resulted in, or was intended to result in, or appears to have resulted in, or has the potential to result in an interference with the objective exercise of his duties and an improper benefit or an advantage by virtue of his position.”

According to him, the bonds were not on the issuance calendar, and that the transaction seemed to have been shrouded in secrecy with the bond processes being limited to one day compared to past processes that were open.

Mr. Genfi said one single investor, Franklin Templeton Investment Limited, an American global investment management organisation founded in 1947 purchased 95 percent of the bond issued.

He insisted that “a relational interest existed between the Minister of Finance and Mr Trevor G Trefgarne, who in a semi-annual report of the Franklin Templeton Investment Limited of December 31, 2016, is one of the Board of Directors of the organisation, while also being the Chairman of the Enterprise Group Limited.”

“Enterprise Group Limited is a company partially owned by Data Bank Limited, a company in which the Finance Minister is known to have significant interest,” Mr Genfi said.

He also complained that Mr. Tevor G Trefgarne and the Minister of Finance had also been described as “great friends.”

Ofori-Atta breached processes in issuance of $2.25bn bond – CHRAJ

CHRAJ found that the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, breached certain processes in the issuance of the government’s $2.25bn bond earlier this year.

CHRAJ, in its investigation of a conflict of interest allegation leveled against Ken Ofori Atta by a known member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Brogya Genfi, said although it found no concrete evidence on conflict of interest against the Minister, he [Ken Ofori-Atta] breached several procedures.

In its 140-page report on the matter, CHRAJ made some suggestions to the Minister of Finance to ensure that due diligence is ensured in subsequent deals.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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Regardless of this, she noted that her Ministry played a leading role as agent for government in the trial at the international court.

Gloria Akufo made the clarification in response to a question from Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament, Frank Annor Dompreh.

[contextly_sidebar id=”V7WljK2gGCcqk8LBuakSouJFS5OMJjbR”]“Mr Speaker , ITLOS rendered a unanimous judgement on the maritime dispute between Ghana and Cote D’lvoire on 21st September 2017. The Attorney General and Minister for Justice as the principal legal adviser to government appeared as the agent for Ghana in the matter. The office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice is not the implementing agency of the judgement in the matter. I thank you Mr. Speaker,” she said.

The judgement

The Chamber in a unanimous decision on September 23, 2017, ruled that there has not been any violation on the part of Ghana on Côte d’Ivoire’s maritime boundary.

The Chamber rejected Côte d’Ivoire’s argument that Ghana’s coastal lines were unstable. It also noted that Ghana has not violated Côte d’Ivoire’s sovereign rights with its oil exploration in the disputed basin.
Justice Boualem Bouguetaia, President of the Special Chamber in reading the judgment, accepted Ghana’s argument of adoption of the equidistance method of delineation of the maritime boundary.

In consideration of the new boundary, the Chamber determined that it starts from boundary 55 -200 nautical miles away, a position much closer to what Ghana was arguing for.

Background

In 2014, Ghana took the case to ITLOS to dispel claims it has encroached Cote d’Ivoire’s marine borders as part of oil exploration activities at Cape Three Points, off the shores of the Western Region.

Ghana’s defense held that Cote d’Ivoire was barred from demanding ownership to the disputed area it had acknowledged that Ghana owned the space without any qualms in the decades leading up to the oil discovery.

The oral hearings for the dispute were concluded in February 2017.
Ghana’s oil discovery

In 2007, Ghana discovered oil and gas in commercial quantities, and this was followed by Cote d’Ivoire staking its claim to portions of the West Cape Three Points.

These claims were renewed in 2010 after Vanco, an oil exploration and production company announced the discovery of oil in the Dzata-1 deepwater-well.

Cote d’Ivoire petitioned the United Nations asking for a completion of the demarcation of its maritime boundary with Ghana, and Ghana responded by setting up of the Ghana Boundary Commission.

This commission was tasked with the responsibility of negotiating with Côte d’Ivoire towards finding a lasting solution to the problem.

But this commission bore no fruit, and in September 2014, Ghana dragged Cote d’Ivoire to ITLOS after 10 failed negotiations.

ITLOS’s first ruling in 2015 placed a moratorium on new projects, with old projects continuing after Cote d’Ivoire filed for preliminary measures and urged the tribunal to suspend all activities on the disputed area until the definitive determination of the case.

The moratorium prevented Tullow Oil from drilling additional 13 wells. Tullow thus drilled eleven [11] wells in Ghana’s first oil field.

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By: Marian Ansah & Duke Mensah Opoku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The Bill is expected to among other things define modalities for the appointment and operations of the Special Prosecutor.

[contextly_sidebar id=”6QKR4DcXJVUPSUvwmuMzrkHEmEixeyPQ”]It is expected to be laid before parliament after it has gone through the consultative drafting stages among stakeholders.

Speaking at a Chinese Embassy funded consultative forum on Tuesday, Gloria Akuffo was optimistic the Bill will be ready soon.

“It is our belief that the establishment of the office of the special prosecutor will be a major step towards strengthening the anti-corruption regime in this country and thereby substantially reduce the canker if not eliminate it.”

She explained that, as proposed in the draft Bill “the office of the special prosecutor will have the mandate to investigate and prosecute cases of alleged corruption under the Public Procurement Act 203 Act 63 and other corruption related  offences implicating public officers, political office holders and their accomplices in the public sector as well as trace and recover the proceeds of corruption.”

“We believe that the establishment of a dedicated anti-corruption office vested with investigative, prosecutorial and asset recovery authority, will result in improved execution of our anti-corruption efforts rather than a continued reliance on multipurpose or mixed mandate agencies,” she added.

Special Prosecutor office will be operational in 6 months

The president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, had said earlier that the much hyped Special Prosecutor’s office will be functional within six months.

He noted that the office when operational will be independent of the Executive and other arms of government adding that “the office is going to be established by an act of Parliament and it will have the remit to investigate and prosecute corrupt officials.”

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By: Godwin A. Allotey & Felicia Osei/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The Lawyer indicated that, he might sue the AG if she fails to make details on the bond available.

[contextly_sidebar id=”TCGJkM4jp1mW8dCroMGy7AT8VvOObXFU”]“If the information I have is in the public domain, then there will be no need for me to go to court to compel the AG, but if I don’t have those details I think the best place to go will be the court,” he said.

The Lawyer had earlier explained that, the information he was seeking for was aimed at addressing several concerns voiced on the bond issuance.

Speaking on the Point Blank segment of Eyewitness News, Mr. Adawudu justified his request , saying “I am am exercising a constitutional mandate which says that I have a right to information.”

Making a case for his request , Mr . Adawudu further stated that, Ghanaians deserve to know how much will be paid as interest on the said bond.

What the lawyer requested for

In a letter addressed to the Attorney General and copied to the Ministry of Finance, Mr. Adawudu, who also enclosed a processing fee of GHc 1,000, said the information he was seeking for was aimed at addressing several concerns voiced on the matter.

“I am exercising my legal and constitutional right and the Attorney General is the principal legal adviser to the government. If you look at the Right to Information Bill, it is the Minister of Justice and Attorney General who is responsible if information is wanted,” he said.

“If you look at the information I am seeking, it is a very a extensive question, and I ask that the data should also be added.”

Mr. Adawudu noted that, most of the information on the bond issue was circulating in the media, but could not necessarily be taken to be the truth, despite the “rebuttable presumption that it is authentic.”

“The information that we are getting cannot just be said to be the authentic information, that is why I am asking for the authentic information from the government.”

Background

Concerns were raised about the transparency of the $2.25 billion bond, with some suggesting that, the apparent secrecy over the deal fueled the allegations of conflict of interest against the Finance Minister, Ken Ofori Atta.

Chief Executive Officer of Dalex Finance, Ken Thompson, remarked to Citi News that in times past, when bonds have been issued, there have been road shows, announcements or visits to Parliament “but this seems to have happened rather quickly.

The Minority in its conflict of interest allegations, said a non-executive director on the board of Investment Firm, Franklin Templeton, who purchased 95 percent of the $2.25 billion bond, is also the Chairman of the Enterprise Group, which has links to the Attorney-General and the Finance Minister.

The Minority eventually called for a full-scale parliamentary probe into the bond issue.

The Ashanti Regional Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Yaw Brogya Genfi, has also petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the $ 2.25 billion bond.

But the Finance Minister through the AG’s department, has asked CHRAJ to dismiss the petition because the claims are completely false.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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This was revealed by the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo, in an interview with Citi News.

[contextly_sidebar id=”MqNNZIULr3yIvX2LTQQxDW1ZRGl5PFZP”]The two, Daniel Asiedu and Vincent Bosso, were discharged  today [Tuesday], after the State Attorney, Sefakor Batse, announced at an Accra High Court that the trial will not continue.

Speaking to Citi News, the AG explained that, the case was dropped to allow for further investigations into some aspects of it.

The AG clarified that, the suspects will be re-arrested after investigations into the case re-opens.

“You will recall that, the case had been tendered before I took office. I had made an undertaking to the people of Ghana that I will look at everything on our desk and this matter is one of those. I have together with my officials here taken a hard look at the docket and we have come to the decision that there are aspects of the matter that require further investigations, and to be able to do that, then we need to discontinue because we cannot reopen investigations when the case is on trial, so what has necessitated the withdrawal by the entering of a nolle prosequoi is to enable us conduct further investigations into aspects of the matter.”

How J. B Danquah was killed

The Abuakwa North legislator was on Tuesday, February 9, 2016, stabbed to death at his Shiashie residence in Accra.

Two days after his murder, the then Accra Regional Police Command, led by COP George A. Dampare, arrested a prime suspect, Daniel Asiedu, who allegedly confessed to committing the crime.

Vincent Bosso, was later arrested as having conspired with Aseidu to commit the crime.
Court proceedings.

In the course of the trial, the prosecution tendered in a post-mortem report of the MP, Forensic DNA Report, Blood stained T-shirt of Asiedu, a knife used by Asiedu, the three iPhones of the deceased, Asiedu’s pair of slippers which he left at the crime scene, his prison records, and radiology report determining his age, his medical report, all as evidence to prosecute him.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post J.B Danquah’s ‘killers’ will be re-arrested – Gloria Akuffo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to him, he will as part of his mandate ensure that the law is fairly applied even to government officials, to promote justice.

[contextly_sidebar id=”BXPTK8H9o0YSWnyHeUxYjDb3vXTFQXen”]“We are going to pursue with all the might at our disposal and the legal arsenals available, and crush any cabal available to ensure that justice is done to this nation. We are dealing with law and not a country of men and might.”

He further indicated that, his Ministry will diligently deal with government contracts to ensure value for money.

“Challenges with the contractual agreements are triggered when we recklessly disregard the rules of procedure and laid down guidelines and take certain unilateral decisions sometimes in manners I will describe as autocratic. When you do any such and damn the consequences, it is the nation that suffers. We are going to read the contractual agreement and convince ourselves that anybody has not hidden anything.”

Mr. Kpemka further declared his willingness to work with the Minister of Justice if approved, to meet targets set out for the Ministry.

“When I go there, I will go there with an open mind, with absolute diligence and care. When I get there, I will take decisions that will help Ghana “

When approved, Mr. Kpemka, a lawyer and Member of Parliament for Tempane in the Upper East Region, will assist the Minister of Justice, Gloria Akuffo.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
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The post We’ll crush all corruption ‘cabals’ – Deputy AG nominee appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Mahama administration came under intense criticism for what was described as midnight decisions to contract and recruit for and on behalf of the country within the last two weeks of its lifespan.

Speaking at an Institute of Economic Affairs ( IEA) review of the 2017 Presidential Transition, the Senior Minister said the Attorney General’s Office was in the process of reviewing all last-minute contracts of the previous administration in a process he described as “a complete waste of effort and man hours.”

“We shouldn’t haven’t have done them in the first instance,” Mr. Osafo-Maafo stressed.

“One of the problems we are facing as a new government are the many contracts which were signed within the last 14 days and not only within the centre but in institutions like COCOBOD and if you don’t take care, you will run the country into all kinds of judgement debts because these agreements have also been signed and maybe are legally binding.”

“You can’t just come and say abrogate them. Some of the conditions are such that you cannot implement them because they are not in the interest of the state so what do we do? We are taking these contracts one by one and under the able leadership of our Attorney General, we are looking at them,” he said.

Concerns over last-minute contracts were raised by the Akufo-Addo administration’s side of the Transition team with the Mr. Osafo-Maafo, who was co-chair of the Transition team, serving notice the incoming government would review such contracts.

There were initially some indications that both sides of the transition team had reached a compromise regarding the signing of new contracts and other decisions with major financial implications as the Mahama administration was to take all such decisions in consultation with the Akufo-Addo administration.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post AG reviewing Mahama gov’t last-minute contracts appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

He is seeking an order from a Sunyani High Court to compel the defendants to compensate him in the sum of GH¢1 million for violation of his fundamental human rights, as enshrined in the 1992 constitution.

The other defendants include the Brong-Ahafo Regional Commander of the Ghana Prison Service and Corporal Adams Mamudu, a prosecutor at the Regional Police CID office in Sunyani.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zQkt5s6xfdh1S3uQfyUEwoXsOghmvHwX”]An affidavit filed by Foster Akwasi Asante, counsel for the plaintiff and made available to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) noted that the plaintiff:”‘s personal liberty was unjustifiably and unlawfully curtailed by the defendants from March to July 2016.

It explained that on January 15, 2015, Ali was arraigned together with two others before the Fiapre Circuit Court on charges of abetment of crime.

The court presided over by Mr Yaw Owoahene Acheampong, remanded the plaintiff into lawful custody and adjourned the case to 29 January, after he (Ali) had pleaded not guilty to the charge of stealing.

It said when the case was heard on March 3, last year the plaintiff was admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢3,000 with a surety, adding that after several adjournments Mrs Ananda Aikins, (sitting as additional circuit court judge at the court ) struck out the case for want of prosecution and discharged the plaintiff on March 1, 2016.

“Notwithstanding the fact that I had on the day of March 1, 2016 been lawfully discharged, the defendants continuously and unlawfully kept me at the central prisons on an expired warrant”, the affidavit added.

It said the plaintiff somewhere March 14, 2016 fell ill and as his health condition kept on deteriorating at the central prisons the prosecutor sent him to the hospital.

The prosecutor later took the plaintiff to the Regional Police command where his discharged was confirmed.

He said when he accosted the prosecutor on his unlawful detention he apologized and gave me him his telephone number and GH¢10 to use as a lorry fare to his home.

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Source: GNA

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Mr. Amidu, whose personal action got the Supreme Court to order Mr. Woyome to repay the amount, is back at the apex court, praying it to allow him examine him orally following the decision of the state to discontinue that process.

Mr. Amidu in his application to the Supreme Court alleged among other things that the Attorney-General withdrew her application to examine Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome because President Mahama personally gave an order.

[contextly_sidebar id=”q7bn7BLXT5xo4dFqQXVRnM3fX4Lqq1uD”]Mr. Amidu’s suit covers the Attorney-General, Mr. Alfred Agbesi Woyome, and Waterville Holdings (BVI) Ltd.

According to the man who earned the nickname citizen vigilante, this was done to protect some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), as well as government officials who benefited from the amount.

But the AG in response to the application on Thursday stated in his affidavit that Mr. Amidu’s claim suggesting that President Mahama ordered the discontinuation of the oral examination of Mr. Woyome is false.

She said she will demand of the court to instruct Mr. Woyome to apologize for those comments.

“That the Plaintiff/Applicant ought to know that any deliberate deception of this Honourable Court on the part of a lawyer is professional misconduct by the rules of the Legal Profession. Furthermore, the Plaintiff/Applicant contrary to the Rules of Court deposes to the scandalous, offensive, malicious and deliberate falsehood without providing the sources of his information or belief. At the hearing of the Plaintiff/Applicant’s application I shall apply to the court to have these offending matters struck out of the Plaintiff/Applicant’s affidavit, and that he should be ordered to apologize for making these false allegations.”

The Attorney-General also questioned in her affidavit the right of Mr. Martin Amidu to orally interrogate Mr. Woyome in court.

“That paragraphs 12 and 13 of the affidavit in support are denied and the Plaintiff/Applicant is put to strict proof. The depositions contained therein are scandalous, offensive, malicious and deliberate falsehood by the Plaintiff/Applicant. Furthermore, the President never suggested, directed or instructed me to discontinue the request of this office to orally examine the judgment debtor.”

“That in response to paragraphs 15, 17 and 18, I state that it is arguable whether or not the Plaintiff/Applicant has a right to examine the 3rd Defendant. The order to enforce the Judgment was directed at the 1st Defendant and not the Plaintiff/Applicant. Even if the Plaintiff/Applicant did have this right, the facts relied on by the Plaintiff/Applicant to found this application are scandalous, offensive, malicious and deliberate falsehood and cannot be the basis for the grant of his application.”

Click here for the full AG’s affidavit

Background

Alfred Woyome was paid ¢51 million after he claimed that he helped Ghana to raise funds to construct stadia for purposes of hosting the CAN 2008 Nations Cup.

The Supreme Court in 2014 ordered Mr. Woyome to pay the amount, after Mr. Martin Amidu, challenged the legality of the judgment debt paid the businessman, Waterville, and Isofoton.

Following delays in retrieving the money, the Supreme Court judges unanimously granted the Attorney-General clearance to execute the court’s judgment ordering Mr. Woyome to refund the cash to the state.

Woyome prevents officials from valuing residence

Mr. Woyome in April 2016, prevented officials of the Attorney General’s Department and the Lands Commission from having access to his Kpehe residence for valuation.

The move was part of a directive from the Supreme Court to retrieve monies paid to him. But Woyome resisted the move, saying the planned valuation was illegal.

Mr. Woyome had earlier won the criminal prosecution that sought to imprison him for the offence.
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By: Ebenezer Afanyi Dadzie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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