Page 20: September 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
AN environmentalist, Chief Dr Newton Jibonuh, has warned that Africa will face the worst form of hurricanes if desertification is not tackled with the needed seriousness.
He said the United Nations estimated that 87 billion trees needed to be planted on earth within the next five years.
Chief Jibonuh gave the warning when he presented a copy of a report of his eight-week journey from Africa to Europe between February and April, this year to the Nigerian High Commissioner to Ghana, Senator Muhammed Muslim O. Obanikoro, in Accra yesterday.
The report, which would be made public after it has been officially presented to African governments, looks at the perspective of what is happening to Africa and how Africa is prepared to cope with any environmental hazards such as hurricanes and the consequences of desertification.
Chief Jibonuh, whose team included five young scientists and environmentalists, said it would not be long when Africa experienced the magnitude of Hurricane Ike.
He said it was, therefore, important for Africans to talk together to put a programme in place to fight desertification.
He explained that the research tour, which took his team through Benin, Togo, Ghana, Mauritania, Morocco, Spain, France and finally ended in London among other countries, was his third such journey, which he started in 1967.
Chief Jibonuh said his earlier journeys did not receive the needed support until recently when the former US Vice-President Al Gore launched a similar climate change and global warming project.
He was grateful to the Nigerian government and other sponsors who supported the journey.
Chief Jibonuh, who is 70, said he decided to select young researchers to accompany him so that they could keep the flame burning even after his death.
He said the team interacted with both government officials and academia during stops in the countries they visited.
For his part, Senator Obanikoro commended Chief Jibonuh for the good work he continued to do for Africa.
He explained that Africans were in a better position to take their destiny into their own hands than relying on outsiders to determine their destiny.
He, therefore, called for support for researchers in Africa to unearth solutions to the challenges confronting the continent.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Police, GAF worried * Over abuse of radio phone-in programmes
Front Page: September 11, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service have expressed worry about phone-in programmes on radio stations during which hosts fail to control contribution from callers.
They, therefore, urged media practitioners to be circumspect in their reportage and presentation of national issues.
They also expressed concern about the use of non-experts on security issues to discuss matters they did not understand and, thereby, put out wrong information.
The two institutions made the appeal when their Public Affairs Directors made presentations at a forum organised by the Editors Forum, Ghana on “reporting issues bordering on security — the perspectives of the Army (military) and the Police” in Accra yesterday.
Colonel E. W. Nibo, Director of Public Relations of the GAF, with the support of Colonel William Ayamdo of the Defence Intelligence and DSP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, represented their respective institutions.
Contributing to the discussion, Col Ayamdo conceded that there was the need for clear-cut guidelines to be set out on reporting on security issues or the national interest.
He explained that security cut across all facets of life and needed to be broken down for people to appreciate its meaning.
Col Nibo, for his part, said the GAF was for the state and, therefore, running down the GAF was tantamount to destroying state assets.
He appealed to presenters and guests of radio programmes to educate themselves on security issues before going on air.
He said when the hosts were enlightened on security matters, they would not provide the avenue for people to express their ignorance or use the channel to inflame passions or settle personal scores with their opponents.
Col Nibo suggested that every media organisation should set up a defence/security desk, whose staff should be well educated on security jargons and ranks of the security agencies, particularly the military.
He also called for more dialogue between the military and the media for them to appreciate each other’s role in the country’s democratic process.
“The more professional we are the better the relationship is,” he stated.
For his part, DSP Ofori said the media must learn to trust the security agencies and not misinterpret information issued to them.
He said the media must also refrain from blowing out of proportion security operations and given it twists to suit political interest, stressing that “we must show respect to the security institutions”.
DSP Ofori said the neutrality of the police must be respected by all and that the police should also work to protect state interests.
He reminded the media that in the event of any conflict, practitioners would not be safe to practise their chosen profession and if they did, they would be working for rebel groups or factions in an unfavourable environment.
The Chairperson of the Editors Forum, Ghana, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, observed that the media were working in a highly polarised society and this required tact and professionalism.
She said the forum was the beginning of a programme to discuss topical issues to promote peace, stability and development of the country.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and the Ghana Police Service have expressed worry about phone-in programmes on radio stations during which hosts fail to control contribution from callers.
They, therefore, urged media practitioners to be circumspect in their reportage and presentation of national issues.
They also expressed concern about the use of non-experts on security issues to discuss matters they did not understand and, thereby, put out wrong information.
The two institutions made the appeal when their Public Affairs Directors made presentations at a forum organised by the Editors Forum, Ghana on “reporting issues bordering on security — the perspectives of the Army (military) and the Police” in Accra yesterday.
Colonel E. W. Nibo, Director of Public Relations of the GAF, with the support of Colonel William Ayamdo of the Defence Intelligence and DSP Kwesi Ofori, Director of Police Public Affairs, represented their respective institutions.
Contributing to the discussion, Col Ayamdo conceded that there was the need for clear-cut guidelines to be set out on reporting on security issues or the national interest.
He explained that security cut across all facets of life and needed to be broken down for people to appreciate its meaning.
Col Nibo, for his part, said the GAF was for the state and, therefore, running down the GAF was tantamount to destroying state assets.
He appealed to presenters and guests of radio programmes to educate themselves on security issues before going on air.
He said when the hosts were enlightened on security matters, they would not provide the avenue for people to express their ignorance or use the channel to inflame passions or settle personal scores with their opponents.
Col Nibo suggested that every media organisation should set up a defence/security desk, whose staff should be well educated on security jargons and ranks of the security agencies, particularly the military.
He also called for more dialogue between the military and the media for them to appreciate each other’s role in the country’s democratic process.
“The more professional we are the better the relationship is,” he stated.
For his part, DSP Ofori said the media must learn to trust the security agencies and not misinterpret information issued to them.
He said the media must also refrain from blowing out of proportion security operations and given it twists to suit political interest, stressing that “we must show respect to the security institutions”.
DSP Ofori said the neutrality of the police must be respected by all and that the police should also work to protect state interests.
He reminded the media that in the event of any conflict, practitioners would not be safe to practise their chosen profession and if they did, they would be working for rebel groups or factions in an unfavourable environment.
The Chairperson of the Editors Forum, Ghana, Ms Ajoa Yeboah-Afari, observed that the media were working in a highly polarised society and this required tact and professionalism.
She said the forum was the beginning of a programme to discuss topical issues to promote peace, stability and development of the country.
Minister calls for debate on prisoners conjugal visits
Page 31: September 10, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen, has called for a nation-wide debate on whether or not to allow conjugal visits for inmates of prisons in Ghana.
He said the ministry would appreciate views from civil society including human rights organisations, legal and health related organisations.
He added that a number of countries had started holding discussions on the subject matter because of its positive impact on reformation of prisoners, their re-integration and reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections at the correctional centres throughout the world.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Nana Boahen explained that conjugal visits maintained family bonds, enhanced image changes of inmates and lessened the risks in and out of prisons.
He noted that the suggestion might not be pleasant to a lot of people but it must be looked at critically.
“Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Malaysia are currently debating the subject because they see it as an incentive for better social integration and preservation of family bonds,” he added.
Nana Boahen said in the United States of America, the authorities allow conjugal visitation under a programme known as the “extended family visits”.
He said under the programme in the USA, there were clear regulations under the rules of detention.
“In the USA, to qualify under the extended family visits programme, the spouse or person must be on the prisoner’s visit list, show proof of relationship, pass a background security search, submit to a search on the day of visit and dress appropriately”.
Nana Boahen said the authorities only needed to create special places or centres for prisoners for such purposes where they would spend some hours with their partners once a month.
He said another option would be to consider the programme in Morocco in which the authorities facilitate marriage between male and female prisoners on long-term jail sentences.
Nana Boahen said the issue needed to be given a serious thought and, therefore, called on Parliament to take up the issue.
As to whether the country had the facilities to encourage it, the minister said there might be merit in going for it and the state would, therefore, have to find the resources to sponsor it.
He explained that the benefit to the state might be greater than the cost and, therefore, urged Parliament, civil rights organisations and the public at large to debate it.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Minister of State at the Ministry of the Interior, Nana Obiri Boahen, has called for a nation-wide debate on whether or not to allow conjugal visits for inmates of prisons in Ghana.
He said the ministry would appreciate views from civil society including human rights organisations, legal and health related organisations.
He added that a number of countries had started holding discussions on the subject matter because of its positive impact on reformation of prisoners, their re-integration and reducing the risk of HIV/AIDS infections at the correctional centres throughout the world.
In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, Nana Boahen explained that conjugal visits maintained family bonds, enhanced image changes of inmates and lessened the risks in and out of prisons.
He noted that the suggestion might not be pleasant to a lot of people but it must be looked at critically.
“Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain and Malaysia are currently debating the subject because they see it as an incentive for better social integration and preservation of family bonds,” he added.
Nana Boahen said in the United States of America, the authorities allow conjugal visitation under a programme known as the “extended family visits”.
He said under the programme in the USA, there were clear regulations under the rules of detention.
“In the USA, to qualify under the extended family visits programme, the spouse or person must be on the prisoner’s visit list, show proof of relationship, pass a background security search, submit to a search on the day of visit and dress appropriately”.
Nana Boahen said the authorities only needed to create special places or centres for prisoners for such purposes where they would spend some hours with their partners once a month.
He said another option would be to consider the programme in Morocco in which the authorities facilitate marriage between male and female prisoners on long-term jail sentences.
Nana Boahen said the issue needed to be given a serious thought and, therefore, called on Parliament to take up the issue.
As to whether the country had the facilities to encourage it, the minister said there might be merit in going for it and the state would, therefore, have to find the resources to sponsor it.
He explained that the benefit to the state might be greater than the cost and, therefore, urged Parliament, civil rights organisations and the public at large to debate it.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Multi-million forgery at TOR, GBC - Ringleader grabbed* Remanded in custody
Front Page: September 9, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
Richard Kwame Afari, the man suspected to have masterminded the multi-billion cedi scandals that rocked the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) last year, has finally been arrested.
Afari, also known as Burgger, is alleged to be the leader of a signature-forging and cheque book-printing syndicate which facilitated the illegal withdrawal of large sums of money from the two companies’ accounts and those of other reputable firms at various banks in Accra.
He was arrested by personnel from the Organised Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service last Sunday at his hideout at a village in the Ga West District.
He was taken to court yesterday and remanded to re-appear on September 22, 2008.
Three members of the syndicate, Mohammed Bagigah, alias Parker, said to be an expert in the forgery of signatures, Bernard Sallah, alias Big Ben, and Frank Mensah Kpemli, alias George Owusu, together with the cashier of TOR, were arrested in July, last year.
Those still on the run are Cecilia Mabogumje Abimbola, Daniel Addo, alias Sampson Omeruah, and Hajia Helen Leyandrou, alias Mamaah.
The Deputy Director of Police Public Affairs, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cephas Arthur, told the Daily Graphic that the group was said to have specialised in the theft of cheque books and financial documents from reputable organisations and then proceeded to siphon billions of cedis from their bank accounts.
According to him, that led to the illegal withdrawal of more than GH¢200,000 (¢2 billion) from the National Investment Bank (NIB), the International Commercial Bank (ICB), the SG-SSB Bank, the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and Stanbic Bank, all in Accra.
ASP Arthur said the modus operandi of the group was to target a reputable organisation and then recruit an employee there into its fold.
He explained that whoever was recruited was asked to steal a cheque book, together with any documents bearing the signatures of the rightful signatories to the cheques of that organisation.
He said Afari would then recruit other persons to open accounts at various banks within the city, while Parker employed his expertise to copy the relevant signatures.
ASP Arthur said the syndicate then deposited the cheques at the various banks for them to pass through the three-day inter-bank clearing system, after which the money was cashed.
In the case of TOR, he said, the syndicate wrote cheques totalling GH¢650,000 and at the time of their arrest in July last year, they had managed to cash more than GH¢200,000 from the amount.
ASP Arthur said the vigilance of some workers at Stanbic Bank, however, led to the arrest of one of the suspects, who had cashed more than GH¢300,000 within a week and had gone back to cash GH¢65,000.
He appealed to members of the public to provide information on suspicious characters and criminal activities for the police to deal with them.
He said sometimes members of the public thought the police were reluctant in investigating cases reported to them, which is the case, and stressed that the arrest of Afari showed that with public co-operation and support, the police would apprehend all criminals, no matter how long it took to do that.
Story: Albert K. Salia
Richard Kwame Afari, the man suspected to have masterminded the multi-billion cedi scandals that rocked the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) last year, has finally been arrested.
Afari, also known as Burgger, is alleged to be the leader of a signature-forging and cheque book-printing syndicate which facilitated the illegal withdrawal of large sums of money from the two companies’ accounts and those of other reputable firms at various banks in Accra.
He was arrested by personnel from the Organised Crime Unit of the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service last Sunday at his hideout at a village in the Ga West District.
He was taken to court yesterday and remanded to re-appear on September 22, 2008.
Three members of the syndicate, Mohammed Bagigah, alias Parker, said to be an expert in the forgery of signatures, Bernard Sallah, alias Big Ben, and Frank Mensah Kpemli, alias George Owusu, together with the cashier of TOR, were arrested in July, last year.
Those still on the run are Cecilia Mabogumje Abimbola, Daniel Addo, alias Sampson Omeruah, and Hajia Helen Leyandrou, alias Mamaah.
The Deputy Director of Police Public Affairs, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Cephas Arthur, told the Daily Graphic that the group was said to have specialised in the theft of cheque books and financial documents from reputable organisations and then proceeded to siphon billions of cedis from their bank accounts.
According to him, that led to the illegal withdrawal of more than GH¢200,000 (¢2 billion) from the National Investment Bank (NIB), the International Commercial Bank (ICB), the SG-SSB Bank, the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB) and Stanbic Bank, all in Accra.
ASP Arthur said the modus operandi of the group was to target a reputable organisation and then recruit an employee there into its fold.
He explained that whoever was recruited was asked to steal a cheque book, together with any documents bearing the signatures of the rightful signatories to the cheques of that organisation.
He said Afari would then recruit other persons to open accounts at various banks within the city, while Parker employed his expertise to copy the relevant signatures.
ASP Arthur said the syndicate then deposited the cheques at the various banks for them to pass through the three-day inter-bank clearing system, after which the money was cashed.
In the case of TOR, he said, the syndicate wrote cheques totalling GH¢650,000 and at the time of their arrest in July last year, they had managed to cash more than GH¢200,000 from the amount.
ASP Arthur said the vigilance of some workers at Stanbic Bank, however, led to the arrest of one of the suspects, who had cashed more than GH¢300,000 within a week and had gone back to cash GH¢65,000.
He appealed to members of the public to provide information on suspicious characters and criminal activities for the police to deal with them.
He said sometimes members of the public thought the police were reluctant in investigating cases reported to them, which is the case, and stressed that the arrest of Afari showed that with public co-operation and support, the police would apprehend all criminals, no matter how long it took to do that.
Two raise concern about missing weapons
Page 28: September 8, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO leading voices on security matters in the country have expressed fears of widespread leakage in the armouries of state institutions.
Speaking in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Dr Kwesi Aning of the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre and Mr Emmanuel Sowatey of the National Peace Council, said there was therefore the need to set up a broader panel of experts, including representatives of civil society organisations, to deal with the menace.
They agreed on the view that there were too many hot spots in the country and the matter needed to be treated with all the urgency it deserved and called for the inclusion of matured and responsible civil society representatives on any investigations team to deal with the alleged disappearance of weapons in state institutions.
They also said the investigations should not be focused on the police alone but should include all security agencies, the Forestry Commission, and licensed importers of weapons.
Dr Aning, who is the head of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution of the Kofi Annan Centre, said there had been a long history of leakage in official state armouries since time immemorial and the problem keeps recurring.
He said the investigations should look at the procedures in checking the stocks of weapons and the regulations regarding the collection and retrieval of weapons from officers.
Dr Aning said the Arms and Ammunitions Act provided the detailed procedures in keeping weapons, collecting them and accounting for them.
He, however, said if there were leakages in the system, then the Act would have to be reviewed.
Dr Aning said when reports of the missing weapons made everyone in the society highly insecure, especially in an election year when elections had been tagged as “do or die” and “mother of all elections”.
For his part, Mr Sowatey, who is a research officer at the National Peace Council, said the security agencies and all licensed weapons importers must abide by the international stockpiling management principles to help deal with the leakage in the system.
He said finding the motive for the theft of the weapons was also important, if the problem was to be resolved, citing the issue of whether the weapons were stolen for robbery, tribal conflicts, protection or whatever reason.
He said everyone must be interested in such matters, especially the investigations, because the outcome assured the citizenry of their security.
Mr Sowatey said the matter also required the Attorney-General’s Department and the Judicial Service to sit up in dealing with such issues because the slow process of the judicial system discouraged people from reporting such crimes.
He said the National Action Plan on Small Arms was already in place and it behoved all to play their part to deal with the problem.
“Being an election year, everyone must come on board to ensure that there is peace and sanity before the elections,” he said.
Fortunately, Mr Sowatey said, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties abhorred the use of arms and enjoined political parties not to seek the release of any suspect in connection with arms.
He identified smuggling of arms from neighbouring countries, leakage in the state armouries, registered but not renewed licenses, local manufacturing and licensed importers as the source of illicit arms in the country.
Mr Sowatey said Ghanaians could, therefore, help nip the sources of supply in the bud by reporting such illegal dealings with the security agencies.
They said the investigative panel must also establish the motive for the theft, supply and demand for such weapons.
They said identifying with the motive for the arms deals would help outline a major programme to assure the populace of their safety and security, and thereby remove their trust in guns.
“The presence or the perceived presence of weapons anywhere heightened tension and insecurity in the society, and undermined any peace process as people use it to threaten and intimidate others,” they said.
They commended the Police Administration for the swift response in investigating the matter and suggested that independent persons should be included on the panel.
They also called on the accuser to avail himself before the committee as people oftentimes made allegations but refused to testify before the investigative panel.
Story: Albert K. Salia
TWO leading voices on security matters in the country have expressed fears of widespread leakage in the armouries of state institutions.
Speaking in separate interviews with the Daily Graphic in Accra, Dr Kwesi Aning of the Kofi Annan Peacekeeping Training Centre and Mr Emmanuel Sowatey of the National Peace Council, said there was therefore the need to set up a broader panel of experts, including representatives of civil society organisations, to deal with the menace.
They agreed on the view that there were too many hot spots in the country and the matter needed to be treated with all the urgency it deserved and called for the inclusion of matured and responsible civil society representatives on any investigations team to deal with the alleged disappearance of weapons in state institutions.
They also said the investigations should not be focused on the police alone but should include all security agencies, the Forestry Commission, and licensed importers of weapons.
Dr Aning, who is the head of Conflict Prevention, Management and Resolution of the Kofi Annan Centre, said there had been a long history of leakage in official state armouries since time immemorial and the problem keeps recurring.
He said the investigations should look at the procedures in checking the stocks of weapons and the regulations regarding the collection and retrieval of weapons from officers.
Dr Aning said the Arms and Ammunitions Act provided the detailed procedures in keeping weapons, collecting them and accounting for them.
He, however, said if there were leakages in the system, then the Act would have to be reviewed.
Dr Aning said when reports of the missing weapons made everyone in the society highly insecure, especially in an election year when elections had been tagged as “do or die” and “mother of all elections”.
For his part, Mr Sowatey, who is a research officer at the National Peace Council, said the security agencies and all licensed weapons importers must abide by the international stockpiling management principles to help deal with the leakage in the system.
He said finding the motive for the theft of the weapons was also important, if the problem was to be resolved, citing the issue of whether the weapons were stolen for robbery, tribal conflicts, protection or whatever reason.
He said everyone must be interested in such matters, especially the investigations, because the outcome assured the citizenry of their security.
Mr Sowatey said the matter also required the Attorney-General’s Department and the Judicial Service to sit up in dealing with such issues because the slow process of the judicial system discouraged people from reporting such crimes.
He said the National Action Plan on Small Arms was already in place and it behoved all to play their part to deal with the problem.
“Being an election year, everyone must come on board to ensure that there is peace and sanity before the elections,” he said.
Fortunately, Mr Sowatey said, the Code of Conduct for Political Parties abhorred the use of arms and enjoined political parties not to seek the release of any suspect in connection with arms.
He identified smuggling of arms from neighbouring countries, leakage in the state armouries, registered but not renewed licenses, local manufacturing and licensed importers as the source of illicit arms in the country.
Mr Sowatey said Ghanaians could, therefore, help nip the sources of supply in the bud by reporting such illegal dealings with the security agencies.
They said the investigative panel must also establish the motive for the theft, supply and demand for such weapons.
They said identifying with the motive for the arms deals would help outline a major programme to assure the populace of their safety and security, and thereby remove their trust in guns.
“The presence or the perceived presence of weapons anywhere heightened tension and insecurity in the society, and undermined any peace process as people use it to threaten and intimidate others,” they said.
They commended the Police Administration for the swift response in investigating the matter and suggested that independent persons should be included on the panel.
They also called on the accuser to avail himself before the committee as people oftentimes made allegations but refused to testify before the investigative panel.
Three arrested over GH¢90,000 fraud case
Page 3: September 6, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THREE directors of the Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited have been arrested by the police for allegedly swindling the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to the tune of GH¢90,000.
Rajesh Mirwani, Naresh Lachand Mirwani and Lachand D. Mirwani, are currently on bail while two other suspects, identified as Fidel Ribeiro alias Sekyere and Miguel Augustus Ribeiro, are currently on the run.
A source at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Accra told the Daily Graphic yesterday that Rajesh, Naresh and Fidel went to the bank in September last year for a loan to augment the operations of their company, Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited.
It said as part of the requirements, the applicants presented a legal mortgage over a building property situated at Adabraka in Accra, among others, as collateral based on documents and a purported statutory declaration using documents covering the landed property that belonged to Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
The source explained that Fidel, who is a friend of the Indians, introduced Miguel Ribeiro as an uncle who owned the property at Adabraka.
According to the source, the GH¢90,000 granted to the applicants was to be paid over a 12-month period with 25 per cent interest.
It said repayment of the loan should have started in October 2007 but the applicants failed to do so.
It said the bank later detected that the beneficiaries had closed down their offices at Osu since November 2007 and could not be traced.
The source said the bank attempted to execute the mortgage presented to the bank as collateral but were informed that the documents were fake.
Moreover, the bank was informed that the actual Miguel Augustus Ribeiro who owned the property died in 1995, for which evidence of his obituary and other documents were shown to the bank officials.
It said the bank was informed that Fidel was not known in the family neither was he the executor of the estate of the late Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
It said when the bank lodged a complaint with the police, Rajesh, Naresh and Lachand were arrested while efforts to apprehend Fidel and the purported Ribeiro had failed.
The source, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who knew the whereabouts of Fidel to notify the nearest Police Station or the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID headquarters.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THREE directors of the Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited have been arrested by the police for allegedly swindling the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to the tune of GH¢90,000.
Rajesh Mirwani, Naresh Lachand Mirwani and Lachand D. Mirwani, are currently on bail while two other suspects, identified as Fidel Ribeiro alias Sekyere and Miguel Augustus Ribeiro, are currently on the run.
A source at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters in Accra told the Daily Graphic yesterday that Rajesh, Naresh and Fidel went to the bank in September last year for a loan to augment the operations of their company, Sea Rock Travels and Tours Limited.
It said as part of the requirements, the applicants presented a legal mortgage over a building property situated at Adabraka in Accra, among others, as collateral based on documents and a purported statutory declaration using documents covering the landed property that belonged to Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
The source explained that Fidel, who is a friend of the Indians, introduced Miguel Ribeiro as an uncle who owned the property at Adabraka.
According to the source, the GH¢90,000 granted to the applicants was to be paid over a 12-month period with 25 per cent interest.
It said repayment of the loan should have started in October 2007 but the applicants failed to do so.
It said the bank later detected that the beneficiaries had closed down their offices at Osu since November 2007 and could not be traced.
The source said the bank attempted to execute the mortgage presented to the bank as collateral but were informed that the documents were fake.
Moreover, the bank was informed that the actual Miguel Augustus Ribeiro who owned the property died in 1995, for which evidence of his obituary and other documents were shown to the bank officials.
It said the bank was informed that Fidel was not known in the family neither was he the executor of the estate of the late Miguel Augustus Ribeiro.
It said when the bank lodged a complaint with the police, Rajesh, Naresh and Lachand were arrested while efforts to apprehend Fidel and the purported Ribeiro had failed.
The source, therefore, appealed to any member of the public who knew the whereabouts of Fidel to notify the nearest Police Station or the Commercial Crime Unit of the CID headquarters.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Ex Inspector Johnson to report to Director CID
Page 21: September 5, 2008.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has invited ex-Inspector Albert Johnson to report to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist in investigations into the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
Ex-Inspector Johnson, alleged on an Accra-based radio station on Wednesday that a number of rifles and ammunition had been stolen from the Tamale armoury and sold to civilians, who use them to commit violent crime and to fuel the ethnic conflict in the Northern Region.
In response to those allegations, the Police Administration constituted a team of police experts to investigate the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
It further caused the arrest of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Mahama Nantogma, who was in charge of the police armoury in Tamale to assist in the investigations.
The Director of Police Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic today that it was unfortunate that during the tenure of Ex-Inspector Johnson’s job in the police, he never alerted the authorities on the alleged theft of weapons but rather chose to make those allegations on radio after his resignation.
He said Ex-Inspector Johnson was required to substantiate those allegations.
He said it was in line with the open policy of the Police Administration that a team of officers from the Arms and Ammunition Registry of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, the Police Intelligence and Professional Standard Bureau and the Internal Audit Directory, had been constituted to investigate the allegations.
In addition to the investigations, he said, the team was also to conduct a thorough audit of the weapon facilities of the police in the Northern Region.
DSP Ofori said the appearance of Ex-Inspector Johnson before the Director-General of CID would go a long way in the investigations.
He appealed to any member of the public who had information regarding any weapon dealings to contact the CID boss.
He said those who knew of such offences but failed to report could not be described as good citizens.
DSP Ofori said the outcome of the investigations would be made known to the public to assure Ghanaians that the Police Administration would do whatever it could to ensure the safety of the people at all times.
He said the administration was determined to flush out all miscreants and indisciplined police personnel from the system.
Story: Albert K. Salia
THE Police Administration has invited ex-Inspector Albert Johnson to report to the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to assist in investigations into the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
Ex-Inspector Johnson, alleged on an Accra-based radio station on Wednesday that a number of rifles and ammunition had been stolen from the Tamale armoury and sold to civilians, who use them to commit violent crime and to fuel the ethnic conflict in the Northern Region.
In response to those allegations, the Police Administration constituted a team of police experts to investigate the alleged disappearance of weapons from the Tamale Police armoury.
It further caused the arrest of Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) Mahama Nantogma, who was in charge of the police armoury in Tamale to assist in the investigations.
The Director of Police Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, DSP Kwesi Ofori, told the Daily Graphic today that it was unfortunate that during the tenure of Ex-Inspector Johnson’s job in the police, he never alerted the authorities on the alleged theft of weapons but rather chose to make those allegations on radio after his resignation.
He said Ex-Inspector Johnson was required to substantiate those allegations.
He said it was in line with the open policy of the Police Administration that a team of officers from the Arms and Ammunition Registry of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) headquarters, the Police Intelligence and Professional Standard Bureau and the Internal Audit Directory, had been constituted to investigate the allegations.
In addition to the investigations, he said, the team was also to conduct a thorough audit of the weapon facilities of the police in the Northern Region.
DSP Ofori said the appearance of Ex-Inspector Johnson before the Director-General of CID would go a long way in the investigations.
He appealed to any member of the public who had information regarding any weapon dealings to contact the CID boss.
He said those who knew of such offences but failed to report could not be described as good citizens.
DSP Ofori said the outcome of the investigations would be made known to the public to assure Ghanaians that the Police Administration would do whatever it could to ensure the safety of the people at all times.
He said the administration was determined to flush out all miscreants and indisciplined police personnel from the system.
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