The order followed an application by state prosecutors asking for the release of the postmortem report.

[contextly_sidebar id=”ve5eZv6mhXCnTzrDgr15m1C6N3UAcYXl”]According to the lead prosecutor, DSP George Amega, they have been chasing the report from the medical officer since investigations  commenced but they have not been successful.

Major Mahama, an officer of the 5th Infantry Battalion, was said to have been on his daily jogging route on May 29, 2017, when some residents of Denkyira Obuasi in the Central Region, attacked and lynched  him on suspicion that he was an armed robber.

Over 50 suspects, some of whom had fled the community to other regions in the country, were later arrested in connection with the gruesome killing that shook the nation.

The late army officer was laid to rest on June 9, 2017, with full State and army honors.

25 persons are currently facing prosecution for their role in the killing. The suspects have been charged with murder.

The magistrate, Ebenezer Kwaku Ansah, adjourned the case to the 26th of October 2017.

–

By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The leader of the Democratic Progressive Party urged the 11 other presidential candidates to “join me in rebuilding the country”.

Outgoing President Joyce Banda had alleged ballot fraud but has now admitted defeat.

Malawi is one of the world’s poorest nations.

It is heavily dependent on aid, which provides 40% of the government’s budget.

A protester died on Friday as police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse an angry crowd demanding a recount of last week’s ballot in the south-eastern town of Mangochi.

Mr Mutharika is the brother of the late President Bingu wa Mutharika, who died in office in 2012, and had served as his foreign minister.

He obtained 36.4% of the vote, according to the electoral commission, and said he felt “very humbled” to become Malawi’s fifth president.

“It’s obvious we are facing serious problems in this country. All of us together, let us build the country which is almost on the verge of collapse,” he said.

Former preacher Lazarus Chakwera came second in the election with 27.8% of the vote. He represented the Malawi Congress Party, which governed from independence in 1964 until the first multi-party poll in 1994.

‘Cashgate’

Mrs Banda, who came to power after the death of Bingu wa Mutharika two years ago, was third with 20.2% of the vote. Her administration had been hit by a corruption scandal dubbed “cashgate”, which led donors to cut aid.

Mrs Banda had attempted to have the polls declared “null and void” on the grounds of “serious irregularities”.

Malawi media comment

But she made no mention of this in a statement congratulating Mr Mutharika on his victory in a “closely contested election” and urging “all Malawians to support the newly elected president… and his government as they take on this foundation of progress and endeavour to develop Malawi even further.”

The Malawi Electoral Commission (MEC) had asked for a 30-day extension to declare the results so that a recount could be carried out.

However, the High Court refused to delay the release of results and ordered the commission to make its announcement on Friday.

Source: BBC

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She said: “The path and solution to the economic difficulties of our country is the election of a CPP government for an implementation of an economic development programme that is inspired and defined by our struggle for political and economic freedom to fulfill our mission in history.”

In an open letter to Ghanaians, Ms Nkrumah explained that the party’s participation in the just ended National Economic Forum revealed that “the conception of the Forum as building consensus on economic development policy issues was however, not sufficiently indicative of an act in good faith.”

According to her, it became apparent that there are irreconcilable economic development policy differences between the CPP “and the direction of deliberations by the concept note of the National Economic Forum.”

The CPP chairperson acknowledged that the conditions that necessitated the National Economic Forum “after 32 years of implementation of policies of structural adjustments and fiscal austerity vindicates the alternative Nkrumaist development policy that is informed by our history of slavery and colonialism and driven by a transformation of the colonial economy or decolonisation.”

She therefore urged Ghanaians to vote the CPP into power in 2016 to continue in the ideals of her father, Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

 Below is the full statement

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE CITIZENS OF GHANA – BY SAMIA YABA NKRUMAH, CHAIR OF CPP

Fellow citizens, I write to you today on behalf of my Party, the Convention People’s Party (CPP) to share with you the position of the CPP on the National Economic Forum (NEF) called by the ruling National Democratic Congress.

The purpose and objective of the Forum according to the ruling government was to discuss and develop a national consensus on policy actions that will address the current economic and financial difficulties that threaten a social upheaval arising from widespread unemployment and financial hardships of our people.

Fellow citizens I am glad to say that our Party honoured the invitation because we deemed it an honourable duty to respond to the call of our nation and respect the constitutional institutions of the state including the Presidency.

The conception of the Forum as building consensus on economic development policy issues was however, not sufficiently indicative of an act in good faith.

The invitation from the Government from the onset did not disclose the position of the Party on underlying pertinent issues that could possibly vitiate the purpose and usefulness of the forum.

The Government neither disclosed the status of its Manifesto and Better Ghana Agenda in relation to the National Economic Forum to give a firm assurance of a commitment to an implementation of its outcomes. Our option in the circumstances was to reduce the level of our participation in the forum to an observer status.

The concept note of the Forum was another disincentive to participate in the discussions of the Forum. It was our hope the forum will provide the opportunity to review the foundation and direction of our development policy over the last thirty (30) years which has resulted in jobless economic growth and massive youth unemployment.

The note however revealed a commitment to the same neo-liberal economic development policy framework that has imposed severe hardship on our people in pursuit of macroeconomic stability by severe austerity measures.

Our Party’s Nkrumaist economic development policy approach of the intervention of government to promote investments in the human and material resources of our nation for the production of goods and services to satisfy our needs and export is unalterably opposed to this neo-liberal economic development policy of wage freeze, retrenchment and redeployment of labour, heavy taxation and high interest rates.

These are irreconcilable economic development policy differences between our party and the direction of deliberations by the concept note of the National Economic Forum.

Indeed the conditions that necessitated the National Economic Forum after thirty two years of implementation of policies of structural adjustments and fiscal austerity vindicates the alternative Nkrumaist development policy that is informed by our history of slavery and colonialism and driven by a transformation of the colonial economy or decolonisation

We therefore renew our unwavering dedication and commitment to the responsibility of colonial freedom to demonstrate the capability of our people to develop and manage our economy for prosperity.

Fellow citizens, the path and solution to the economic difficulties of our country is the election of a CPP government for an implementation of an economic development programme that is inspired and defined by our struggle for political and economic freedom to fulfill our mission in history.

Samia Yaba Nkrumah

CPP National Chairperson and Leader

By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @osamidan

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Former finance minister Jose Mario Vaz, candidate of the dominant African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde (PAIGC), secured more than 40 percent of the vote in the first round and is considered the front runner.

He faces Nuno Gomes Nabiam, the former chair of Bissau’s civil aviation agency, who won around 25 percent of the first round vote, comes from the Balanta ethnic group – the country’s largest – and is seen as close to the army.

Large crowds lined up in front of polling stations in the capital Bissau. Over 775,000 voters, most of them young and voting for the first time, cast ballots in the first round.

“These elections will allow Guinea-Bissau to get out of the abyss,” said 40-year-old Maria de Fátima Almada Gomes, one of the first to vote after the polls opened at 3 a.m. EDT.

Guinea-Bissau’s last vote in 2012 was abandoned after soldiers under army chief Antonio Injai stormed the presidential palace just days before a scheduled run-off.

In his final speech ahead of the poll, Vaz called upon the country’s military to remain neutral this time.

“I am asking the army not to get mixed up in political matters and to remain in barracks,” Vaz told a rally of around 20,000 supporters gathered in National Heroes’ Square late on Friday. “I am also asking the people to forgive each other and for nobody to spread terror in our country.”

Weak state institutions, along with its array of islands and unpoliced mangrove creeks, have made the former Portuguese colony a paradise for smugglers of Latin American cocaine destined for Europe.

Since it won its independence in 1974, no elected leader has completed a five-year term in Guinea-Bissau and analysts say donors and regional powers who have been bankrolling the interim administration are frustrated with the recurrent crises.

SECURITY RISKS?

The final two weeks of campaigning in the country have mostly taken place in a peaceful, celebratory atmosphere.

Vaz campaigned on promises to reduce poverty and invest more in agriculture. Nabiam said he would focus on health, education and tackling youth unemployment.

“It’s the beginning of a new era that needs to be marked by radical change,” Nabiam told supporters during his final rally.

Edmundo Alfama, one of the early voters in Bissau, said the candidates’ promises of economic development would ring hollow unless they ended the country’s chronic cycle of instability.

“We must turn this black page of our history in order to finally decide upon a better future for our people, exhausted by so many years of political, economic and social crisis,” he told Reuters.

Both candidates have said they will accept the results whoever wins. But Dr Marie Gibert, an expert on Guinea-Bissau at Nottingham Trent University, remained skeptical.

“Much will depend on the reaction of their support bases. This is particularly true of the army if Vaz is declared the winner,” she told Reuters on Saturday.

Police sources said that around 5,000 men made up of police and forces drawn from the Economic Community of West African States regional bloc had been deployed since Friday to provide security until the results are announced.

They said the army had been forbidden from mobilizing on the day of the vote.

No major incidents were reported during the first round.

“I’m truly optimistic and serene,” Jose Ramos-Horta, U.N. Special Representative in Guinea-Bissau, said on Sunday. “The second round will be as peaceful, transparent and free.”

Source: Reuters

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The President, who doubles as the Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) made this promise on behalf of ECOWAS member states and governments.

In a statement, President Mahama urged the various stakeholders and all responsible officials, especially the Military Services of Guinea-Bissau, to ensure the run-off election “is conducted and concluded in the same peaceful, free and fair manner as the first round.”

“We call especially on the Electoral Commission to do everything in its power to ensure the integrity and credibility of the electoral process,” he added.

Below is the full statement

STATEMENT BY THE CHAIRMAN OF ECOWAS AUTHORITY OF HEADS OF STATE AND GOVERNMENT ON UPCOMING SECOND ROUND PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN GUINEA-BISSAU

On behalf of the Authority of Heads of State & Government of our Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and in my capacity as Chair of the Authority, I would like to extend our best wishes, solidarity and support to the people of Guinea-Bissau as they prepare to participate in the second round of elections this weekend to choose the next President of their nation.

We renew our congratulations to people of Guinea-Bissau for the free, fair, and peaceful manner in which the first round of the electoral contest was held on 13th April 2014.

As the electoral regulations stipulated a second round became necessary because there was no outright winner of the first round.

We call on the various stakeholders and all responsible officials, especially the

Military Services of Guinea-Bissau, to ensure that this run-off election is conducted and concluded in the same peaceful, free and fair manner as the first round.

We call especially on the Electoral Commission to do everything in its power to ensure the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.

ECOWAS is committed to working with the next democratically elected President to return Guinea-Bissau to peace, security, democracy and prosperity.

The election that will take place on Sunday, 18th May 2014, is an important part of this process.

We urge all sections of Guinea-Bissau society, all stakeholders and friends of Guinea-Bissau to do everything possible to ensure that the country is steered onto a new and sustainable path, through a credible second round presidential run-off, so that the people of Guinea-Bissau can be the ultimate winners.

H. E. John Dramani Mahama

President of the Republic of Ghana

By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @osamidan

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Thanking supporters in his own constituency in his home state of Gujarat, Mr Modi said they had written a new chapter in the country’s history.

Votes counted so far suggest the BJP is on course for the most resounding victory by any party for 30 years, trouncing the outgoing Congress Party.

The controversial leader campaigned on promises to revive the economy.

However, many Indians still have profound concerns over Mr Modi because of claims he did little to stop communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 when he was first minister in the state.

At least 1,000 people died, most of them Muslims.

Mr Modi has always denied the allegations over he was never charged.

‘Real government’

“India has won, good days are about to come,” Mr Modi tweeted as it became clear that the BJP had triumphed.

The tweet became the most retweeted in India’s history.

The prime minister-elect told his supporters the victory was no ordinary one.

“In the 60-year history of Indian independence, I have never seen this in the Indian media, what you have done in our country,” Mr Modi said, as supporters shouted “Modi, Modi, Modi”.

He said he would rule for all Indians.

“Real government doesn’t belong to a community. It belongs to the entire country,” he said.

“The real government will belong from Kashmir on top to Kanya Kumari [on India’s southern tip] – that is a real government.”

Several world leaders have congratulated Mr Modi on his victory, including UK Prime Minister David Cameron.

Mr Modi accepted an invitation to visit the UK, Downing Street said. The UK government froze ties with him between 2002 and 2012 over the Gujarat riots.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif commended the BJP’s “impressive victory” in the election.

Without mentioning Mr Modi, the US National Security Council tweeted: “US congratulates BJP on its victory in India’s historic election; we look forward to working w/ govt once formed to advance our partnership.”

The election result will be a crushing blow to the Congress party, which is led by the Nehru-Gandhi family and has dominated Indian politics since independence.

It reflects voter anger with Congress, which has been mired in serious corruption scandals and whose leadership has been considered ineffective in recent years, analysts say.

Accepting defeat, Congress President Sonia Gandhi said: “We humbly respect the verdict of the people.”

Share prices rallied to new highs on BJP promises of economic revival.

Latest election results showed the BJP is on course to win 282 seats, surpassing the 272 seats needed to secure a majority in the lower house of parliament.

With their allies, the party could achieve more than 330 seats.

The Congress party – which has been in power for the past decade – is expected to win in fewer than 50 seats.

More than 500 million people voted in what is the world’s biggest exercise in democracy.

Voter turnout in the mammoth nine-phase general election was a record 66.38%, beating the previous 1984 poll record.

India election

• World’s biggest exercise in electoral democracy; 814 million eligible voters
• A total of 8,251 candidates stood for election
• It started five weeks ago and a total of 551 million votes were cast, with a record 66.38% turnout
• The party or alliance that wins a majority in the 543-seat parliament forms the government

Source: BBC

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