Aryee was knocked down by a Police vehicle in a hit-and-run incident in May this year leading to injuries to his head and neck.

The former Sports Minister, Nii Lante Vanderpuye, donated GHS 14,000 through the Ghana Boxing Authority to the boxer to cover the cost of surgery.

GHS 4,000 was paid in May and when the outstanding amount was paid on Tuesday, Zweenes made his intentions known.

“The Ghana Boxing Authority is planning to take civil action against the Ghana Police Service and the Attorney-General’s department. I have already written to the Police for a copy of the Police report.

As soon as we get it, we will bring a civil action in court and ask for liquidated damages not only for the current injuries he suffered but for the loss of the opportunity to box into the future.

The court will look at how many boxing years he has left, how much potentially he would have made and what chances would he have had to get a world title. These are the things the court will look at in calculating the damages to be awarded.”

By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the Association, judges within the country deserve more than they currently receive as conditions of service.

The association in recent times has been complaining about the lack of accommodation and proper residential facilities.

[contextly_sidebar id=”rvPzQoF3oZYSYeUeWvgJovjYDwTP0jOK”]Speaking at the 35th Anniversary of the murder of three high court judges in Ghana, President of the BAR, Benson Nutsukpui, said more has to be done to ensure a resilient democracy underpinned by the tenets of the Rule of law.

“As we celebrate our departed judges, as members of the legal community, it is necessary that we recommit ourselves to the entrenchment of the rule of law in our country. It cannot be sustained when the conditions of service and the working conditions of judges are nothing to write home about. Judicial independence is best secured by good conditions of service of our judges which in turn assures resilient democracies underpinned by the tenants of the rule of law,” he added.

Lower court judges threaten strike over small salaries

In June 2016, lower court judges issued a stern warning to government to immediately abandon a planned move to revise their conditions of service.

The judges, who work in the magistrate and circuit courts across the country, said they were being short-changed in a proposal presented for a review of their salaries.

One of the judges, His Honor Aboagye Tandor, had earlier said they were going to advise themselves if nothing was done about their concerns.

The lower court judges later in November 2016 threatened to embark on a strike if government fails to increase their salaries by 10 percent.

In the letter, the lower court judges lamented that several efforts in having the issue resolved including writing a letter to the Ministry of Finance have proved futile.

The judges are believed to receive very low salaries, some far below GHS4, 000 a month.

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The eight were freed  after the Principal State Attorney in the case, Marie Louise-Simmons, who is the representation of the Attorney General, Gloria Akuffo indicated that the charges against the suspects must be dropped because there was insufficient evidence against them.

[contextly_sidebar id=”x5rsNXIE8ZP59B0uGt9HD6xkXqBEor49″]But the GBA  in a statement signed by the National President of GBA, Benson Nutsukpui  stated that “justice will not be served if the discharge of the accused person ends the matter.”

While emphasizing the need for the Police Service to “interview court officials, lawyers and litigants who were in court on the day in order to bring the perpetrators to justice, ” the GBA also tasked the Police Service to “thoroughly investigate the case.”

The statement from the GBA is below 

GHANA BAR ASSOCIATION’S STATEMENT ON THE DISCHARGE OF EIGHT ACCUSED PERSONS (DELTA FORCE) BY THE CIRCUIT COURT KUMASI

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) has noted with disquiet the discharge of eight persons by the circuit court Kumasi on 17th May 2017 supposedly on the advice of the Attorney General’s Department

The GBA is disturbed by the turn of events and hopes that the discharge of the said accused persons would not signify an end of the matter.

It is the view of the GBA that justice will not be served if the discharge of the accused persons ends the matter.

The Bar calls upon the Ghana Police Service to thoroughly investigate the matter in its entirety. We call upon the police to interview the court officials, lawyers and litigants who were in court on the day in order to bring the perpetrators to justice.

The GBA reiterates its call in the statement it issued on 6th April 2017 to ensure that all persons who played any role whatsoever in the attack on the court are arrested, duly charged and prosecuted.

Finally we wish to state that it is a threat to the Rule of Law if the impression is created that persons who engage in lawless acts can escape the arm of the law.

ISSUED IN ACCRA, THIS 18TH DAY OF MAY 2017

………………………………….                                                                   ……………………………………

BENSON NUTSUKPUI                                                                     JUSTIN A. AMENUVOR

NATIONAL PRESIDENT                                                                   NATIONAL SECRETARY

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @EfeAnsah

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This is according to a release from the Ashanti Regional Police command cited by Citi News.

[contextly_sidebar id=”7Uf7frSQXXkkinu3KJwguUIRLDeDBQkY”]The 13 escaped after some other members of the vigilante group overwhelmed police at the Kumasi Circuit Court on Thursday during their hearing.

Their counterparts vandalised some court property, and almost assaulted the Judge, Mary Senkyere but for police

The 13 Delta Force members were facing charges for causing disturbances at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council after group’s raiding of the Regional Coordinating Council on March 24, 2017, where they were alleged to have assaulted the newly appointed Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, George Adjei.

The judge had ruled that the 13 be remanded to reappear before the court on the 20th of April, 2017 after charges of conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

Following the confusion at the court, the Ashanti Regional Police Command also arrested eight members of the group who attacked the court.

The eight were arrested around the Asafo overhead close to the Prempeh Assembly Hall in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi.

GBA condemns ‘sickening’ attack on Judiciary

The Ghana Bar Association (GBA) condemned the Delta Force attack on the Judiciary as horrifying and charged the Inspector General of Police to thoroughly investigate the incident.

The association warned that the incident was ushering in an era of anarchy, chaos and lawlessness which must not be condoned.

It stressed that such indulging such dastardly acts were a threat to Ghana’s Judiciary must not be tolerated or allowed under our democratic dispensation.

“The GBA condemns in no uncertain terms this blatant disregard for the orders of a duly constituted court of law and attack on the judge in the discharge of her lawful duties. This is an affront to the independence of the Judiciary and an attack on the rule of law,” the association asserted in a statement following the incident.

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

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According to the Association, the Inspector General of Police must thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.

[contextly_sidebar id=”Kze3HnGp2vOJBXMEAxmk3tZ3yGiTBSvg”]Some members of the group stormed the Kumasi Circuit Court on Thursday [April, 6]  and freed 13 members of their group who were facing charges for causing disturbances at the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council.

The group vandalized some court property, and almost assaulted the Judge, Mary Senkyere. The judge had ruled that they be remanded to reappear before the court on the 20th of April, 2017 after charges of conspiracy to assault a public officer and causing unlawful damage.

But according to a statement by the Ghana Bar Association (GBA), the act was a threat to the country’s Judiciary and must not be tolerated.

“The Ghana Bar Association is shocked and horrified at the news item and video recordings which have gone viral alleging that members of supposed “Delta Force” have attacked the Circuit Court in Kumasi earlier today after the Circuit Court presided over by Her Honour Mary Senkyere hard reportedly ordered the thirteen (13) persons who were charged with the offence on conspiracy to commit crime, assault on a public officer, causing unlawful damage and preventing a public officer from doing his lawful duty, to be remanded in custody to and re-appear on the 20^th of April, 2017.”

“It is sickening and horrifying to watch the said videos of persons using violence as a means to defy the Court’s orders. The GBA condemns in no uncertain terms this blatant disregard for the orders of a duly constituted court of law and attack on the judge in the discharge of her lawful duties. This is an affront to the independence of the Judiciary and an attack on the rule of law,” the statement said.

It added that “such glorification of violence, dastardly acts and threat to our Judiciary cannot be tolerated or allowed under our democratic dispensation. It is totally unacceptable under whatever presence to disobey orders of the court, attack or threatens to attack the person of the judge thereby endangering the peace of our country.”

The statement noted that, the incident appeared to be creating room for anarchy, chaos and lawlessness which must not be condoned.

The Ghana Bar Association, however, called on the Inspector General of Police to immediately re-arrest the 13 suspects who were freed, and be remanded in custody while a thorough investigation is launched into the incident.

“We also call on the Minister of Interior to as a matter of urgency take steps to ensure the immediate disbandment of the “Delta Force” and all other vigilante groups that have sprung up in our country.

“We call in well-meaning Ghanaians to condemn this resort to violence in flagrant disobedience to court orders,” the statement signed by GBA President Benson Nutsukpui and National secretary Justin Amenuvor  further noted.

In a related development, the Minister of the Interior, Ambrose Derry, has given a strong indication that, members of the vigilante group will be arrested and brought to book.

He said other security agencies will be engaged if necessary, to clamp down on the group and ensure that justice prevails.

Speaking at an emergency press conference in Accra, Ambrose Derry warned the perpetrators that it will be in their interest to resubmit themselves to the police.

Eight Delta Force members arrested

Meanwhile, Eight members of perpetrators have been arrested by the Police. The Ashanti Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Yaw Nketiah-Yeboah said the eight were arrested around the Asafo overhead close to the Prempeh Assembly Hall in the capital, Kumasi.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The GBA at a press conference during the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Magistrates and Judges in Accra, said it had observed that some judges continuously disrespect lawyers who appear before them in court and that affects the relationship between them.

The President of the GBA, Benson Nutsupkui, said “It does appear that the mutual respect and courtesy that existed between the bench and the bar in times past are on the decline; although its not said publicly or acknowledged that the relationship is not what it used to be. To put it bluntly, we are sometimes disrespectful to each other and an effort to restore the image of the judiciary will need to begin with both the bench and the bar”

Benson Nutsupkui said the Bar was ready to support and cooperate with the judges, however the lawyers need to be accorded the courtesies due them.

He reiterated the Bar’s commitment to defend and protect the independence and integrity of the judiciary. He added that the GBA will not take kindly to attacks and threats on judges through the various media.

“We are very conversant with the fact that an independent judiciary is the backbone of the rule of law. A judiciary that is protected from all forms of intimidation and interference is the key to securing judicial independence,” he added.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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