The Togolese nationals who were arraigned, have been charged with offensive conduct, conspiracy to commit crime and failure to notify police.

[contextly_sidebar id=”a8ekL46xzTH0lJVNWo5rFxedVDkCUnvz”]The 26 have thus been granted bail to the tune of 10,000 cedis each with one surety and the case has been adjourned to November 13, 2017.

The Police arrested the 26 on Saturday after they converged on the Kawukudi Park at Nima, in preparation for a mass protest without notifying police, in breach of the public order act.

Some motorbikes were also impounded by police at the scene.

Togolese in Ghana in recent times have organized such protests in solidarity with efforts back home by the opposition to have presidential term limits in place.

Togo’s opposition parties have been demanding a return to constitutional term limits for the Presidency, and also for President Faure Gnassingbe to step down.

Gnassingbe has been in power since 2005 after the death of his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for nearly 50 years.

We’re acting on Togo’s political crisis – Nana Addo

Concerning Togo’s political crisis, President Nana Akufo-Addo has revealed holding a closed-door meeting with President Faure Gnassingbe about two weeks ago, aimed at bringing the current crisis in that country to a closure.

The President said, “the Togolese President came to see me in Tamale ten days ago, and we are talking to see how we can bring this crisis to a closure and bring stability back to Togo. It is in our interest to do so.”

President Akufo-Addo has assured that his administration is working seriously behind closed-doors to bring the current political crisis in Togo to a closure.

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By: Fred Djabanor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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According to the Accra Regional Police Operations Officer, Chief Superintendent Kwasi Ofori, about 300 Togolese had to be dispersed lawfully at the Kawukudi Park because their intended action was in clear breach of Ghana’s public order act.

[contextly_sidebar id=”dV9OUY0YkyjxH3l3794snbqM8p3okj6q”]This is the second occasion in recent times that Togolese in Ghana have tried demonstrating in solidarity with efforts back home by the opposition to have presidential term limits.

Chief Superintendent Kwasi Ofori  told Citi News that, there was “the need for them to sit down and discuss possible routes and also security matters dear to the good people.”

But since this did not happen, he said the police “used every legitimate means to disperse them.”

“We’ve arrested 26 of them and they are in lawful custody as I speak to you. We’ve also seized some of their motorbikes and we are investigating.”

Togolese crisis

In Togo, a coalition of 14 opposition parties wants among other things, a return to constitutional term limits for the Presidency, and also for President Faure Gnassingbe to step down.

Gnassingbe has won three elections since taking power in 2005 after the death of his father, General Gnassingbe Eyadema, who ruled Togo for nearly 50 years.

Over 15 people have been killed and scores injured in anti-government protests in Togo that have seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets across the country.

Three new street marches have been announced for November 7, 8 and 9, despite the Togolese government’s ban on weekday protests.

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By: Duke Opoku Mensah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Thousands of people have taken to the streets since Wednesday to demand that President Faure Gnassingbe step aside in the biggest challenge to his family’s power since the death of his father in 2005.

Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the UN Special Envoy for West Africa and the Sahel, called on all parties “to preserve peace and security, which are valuable assets in West Africa”.

Chambas, who met with Gnassingbe on Thursday, has delayed his departure and is staying in Togo for further discussions, his spokesman said.

“I remain convinced that all parties want to move forward on the reforms… in order to reach a consensus to respond to the legitimate expectations of the Togolese people,” Chambas said in a statement.

READ MORE: Togo blocks internet as protests continue

Police used tear gas to disperse protesters who were burning tyres in the opposition stronghold of Be in the capital, Lome, on Friday, Reuters news agency said.

But the unrest was less widespread than in previous days and in other areas of the seaside capital, including the centre, traffic had resumed and shops were re-opening amid a heavy police and paramilitary presence.

Security forces cleared barracades erected by the protesters.

Residents said text messages and phone calls were still restricted on Friday. The internet has also suffered outages, according to watchdog Internet Without Borders.

The president’s father Gnassingbe Eyadema seized power in a coup in 1967 and ruled for 38 years before his death.

In response to protests, he introduced a 1992 constitution that brought in multi-party democracy and limited presidential terms to two.

Ten years later, lawmakers scrapped the term limit so Eyadema could run for another term.

However, ever since Gambian long-time leader Yahya Jammeh was forced out after losing an election last December, West African countries have become unanimous in accepting two terms as the limit on presidential office – the only exception being Togo.

READ MORE: Togo protesters demand constitutional reform

The current president, who has encouraged investment to try to turn his tiny nation into a business, banking and shipping hub modelled on Singapore or Dubai, this week sought to appease opponents by tabling a draft bill to reform the constitution and reintroduce a two-term limit.

But opposition leaders reject it because it could still enable Gnassingbe to rule until 2030.

The protests that followed Faure Gnassingbe’s first election victory in 2005 triggered a violent security crackdown in which about 500 people were killed, but this week security forces appear to have avoided bloodshed so far.

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Source: Aljazeera

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His seven-year prison sentence has now been thrown out by judges in Milan, in the so-called “Ruby” case.

Last year a court found that he had paid for sex with a 17-year-old nightclub dancer, Karima El-Mahroug, known as “Ruby the Heartstealer”.

Berlusconi is doing community service after being sentenced for tax fraud.

That was a separate case involving his business empire Mediaset. Berlusconi, 77, helps out once a week at a home for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

He began doing that service in May – and so far it is the only final judgment against him, despite various other court cases.

‘Bunga-bunga’ reports

In the Ruby case both Berlusconi and Ms El-Mahroug denied having had sex.

During the trial reports emerged of raunchy “bunga-bunga” parties at his private villa attended by showgirls. Some of the female guests however described them as “elegant dinner parties”.

Berlusconi was also acquitted of a charge that he abused his prime ministerial powers by pressuring the police to free Ms El-Mahroug when she was in custody.

In another separate case he is accused of having bribed a senator.

As a result of the conviction over Mediaset he was banned from holding political office for two years and expelled from the Senate.

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Source: BBC

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