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We didn’t harass Kennedy Agyapong at his factory, says GRA

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Kennedy Agyapong
Kennedy Agyapong

The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) has dismissed recent claims by the member of Parliament for Assin Central constituency in the Central Region, Kennedy Agyapongthat the GRA is investigating two companies of his unfairly.

 According to Kennedy Agyapong, the Ghana Revenue Authority has deliberately targeted two of his companies (a steel plant project and his existing cold store business) because he is out-spoken and has decided to contest for the flagbearership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.

“[GRA] can never shut down my business because I’ll battle,” Kennedy Agyapong said in an interview on Kumasi based Sompa FM.

Because that steel plant alone will require 1000 workers, I will campaign for the youth. “And you are going there because Kwame Agyapong is loudmouthed, because he wants to contest so you will destroy my business,” Mr Agyapong is further quoted to have said.

 

However a statement issued by the GRA on Monday says “It “has sighted a recording of a media interview by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Assin Central constituency, Honourable Kennedy Agyapong circulating on social media in which he accused GRA officials of constant harassment through unwarranted audits of his companies”.

“GRA wishes to categorically refute the specific allegation of harassment at a factory under construction owned by the MP. We wish to clarify that as part of GRA’s mandate and in line with World Customs Organization’s (WCO’s) guidelines in ensuring adherence to best practices; such exercises are regularly conducted.

“The purpose of such audits, are to measure and improve compliance whiles fine tuning controls. The factory in question together with other companies were thus audited to check the value of goods imported and their intended use” the GRA statement said.

Below is the full statement:

US Vice President Kamala Harris to visit Ghana

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US Vice-President Kamala Harris
US Vice-President Kamala Harris

United States Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Douglas Emhoff will travel to Ghana on 25 March.

From Ghana, the couple will travel to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Lusaka, Zambia. The visits will take place between 25 March and 2 April.

“The Vice President’s visit will build on the recent U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit that President Biden hosted in Washington in December 2022,” a statement from her office said.

The trip will strengthen the United States’ partnerships throughout Africa and advance our shared efforts on security and economic prosperity.

“Throughout the trip, in partnership with African governments and the private sector, the Vice President will advance efforts to expand access to the digital economy, support climate adaptation and resilience, and strengthen business ties and investment, including through innovation, entrepreneurship, and the economic empowerment of women,” the statement added.

Harris will meet with President Nana Akufo-Addo, President Samia Hassan of Tanzania, and President Hakainde Hichilema of Zambia to discuss regional and global priorities, including our shared commitment to democracy, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, food security, and the effects of Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine, among other issues.

The Vice President will strengthen people-to-people ties and engage with civil society, including young leaders, business representatives, entrepreneurs, and members of the African Diaspora.

Asaaseradio

Supreme Court upholds death sentence of man who abused, killed wife with acid

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Supreme Court
Supreme Court

A  turbulent relationship full of bitter quarrels and misunderstandings was an affair the deceased wife, Akua Praba did her very best to escape by her numerous packings from the matrimonial home.

She did complain about the constant abuse and noted even that on one occasion when they fought, he stripped her stark naked in public.

It however seems that the fight that followed the heated attempt at resolving one of their marital disputes was not taken too seriously until around 11 pm on March 3, 2006, when he splashed Akua Praba with acid while sleeping in a room with their three-year-old child.

Kweku Attah, who was a taxi driver, was then arrested after this incident despite the conflicting account between him and the prosecution.

He claimed that he unknowingly got to be arrested upon returning to Cape Coast following a call from one Opanyin Danso.

On its part, the prosecution indicated that after the dastardly act, Kweku went into hiding in the bush for three days and that he later showed up in the house of a relation who then alerted the Police, leading to his arrest at Assin Nkran.

Kweku Attah was therefore arraigned before the court and charged with murdering Akua Praba, his wife.

One issue that became a bone of contention from the trial court to the Supreme Court was a tendered ‘Exhibit D’ which is a caution statement containing a confession by Kweku Atta to the crime of splashing acid on the deceased wife.

At the end of the trial, he was convicted of the murder of his wife and sentenced to death on a unanimous verdict of guilty.

Court of Appeal

Subsequently, Kweku Attah filed an appeal in which he argued among others that the admission of the ‘Confession Statement’ was wrongful. However, the Court of Appeal rejected this and affirmed the conviction.

Supreme Court

The appellant’s counsel, first of all, made an allegation of forgery against the prosecution relative to the signature on the Confession statement since according to him, there was no independent witness during Kweku Attah’s supposed admission to sign the statement but kept shifting position relative to the existence or otherwise of the independent witness.

As such, the court in the opinion of Mensa-Bonsu(JSC) found the inconsistency by the counsel worrying and the fact that he just made a mere allegation without corroborating same with any evidence.

In the end, the court found that the words of the appellant provided the strongest evidence against him and also because no objection was raised pursuant to the tendering of ‘Exhibit D’.

Additionally, the court established that a plastic container found; wounds on the appellant’s hands; and the fact that he went into hiding after the incident were circumstantial evidence that offered corroboration to the substance of the confession statement.

The court then held that the evidence on the record was sufficient to convict the accused and so the Court of Appeal was not wrong in upholding the conviction thereby dismissing the appeal.

Read the full judgment below:

KWEKU ATTAH vs. THE REPUBLIC [2022]DLSC11670 

Credit: Dennislaw

Biden seeks to reassure US after two bank collapse

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US President Joe Biden told Americans on Monday that the country’s financial systems were safe, seeking to project calm following the swift and stunning collapse of two banks that prompted fears of a broader upheaval.

“Your deposits will be there when you need them,” he said.

US regulators closed the Silicon Valley Bank on Friday after it experienced a traditional bank run, where depositors rushed to withdraw their funds all at once. It is the second largest bank failure in US history, behind only the 2008 failure of Washington Mutual. But the financial bloodletting was swift; New York-based Signature Bank also failed.

The president, speaking from the White House shortly before a trip to the West Coast, said he’d seek to hold those responsible accountable, and pressed for better oversight and regulation of larger banks. And he promised no losses would be borne by taxpayers.

“We must get the full accounting of what happened,” he said. “Americans can have confidence that the banking system is safe.”

Crude oil prices slide US$4 as banking fears rattle markets

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Oil
Oil

Oil prices fell US$4 on Monday along with equities as the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank raised fears of a fresh financial crisis, but a recovery in Chinese demand provided support.

Brent crude futures were down US$3.96, or 4.8%, to US$78.82 per barrel by 1220 GMT. West Texas Intermediate U.S. crude futures (WTI) fell by US$3.86, or 5%, to US$72.82 a barrel.

Brent hit its lowest levels since early January while WTI touched prices not seen since early December.

Fears of contagion from the failure of Silicon Valley Bank led to a selloff in US assets at the end of last week, while state regulators closed New York-based Signature Bank on Sunday.

Europe’s STOXX bank index was down 5.7%, having shed 3.8% on Friday. US authorities launched emergency measures on Sunday to shore up confidence in the banking system.

Market sentiment was already fragile as worries about further monetary tightening by the Fed have been exacerbated by high crude oil inventories in the U.S., analysts from ANZ Bank said in a note on Monday morning.

“It’s like the battle of surging activity data in the East meets macro malaise in the West,” said Stephen Innes, managing partner of SPI Asset Management, commenting on the competing sentiment drivers in the crude market.

In recent days a weaker dollar , which makes oil cheaper for holders of other currencies, has lent some support to prices.

Oil’s fall follows positive momentum on Friday, when US employment data surprised to the upside. Data for February beat expectations, with nonfarm payrolls rising by 311,000, compared with expectations of 205,000 jobs added, according to a Reuters survey.

From a medium- to long-term supply perspective, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co on Friday said US energy firms last week cut the number of oil and natural gas rigs operating for a fourth week in a row for the first time since July 2020.

China could control a third of the world’s lithium by 2025

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China’s efforts to ramp up lithium extraction could see it accounting for nearly a third of the world’s supply by the middle of the decade, according to UBS AG.

The bank expects Chinese-controlled mines, including projects in Africa, to raise output to 705,000 tons by 2025, from 194,000 tons in 2022.

That would lift China’s share of the mineral critical to electric-vehicle batteries to 32% of global supply, from 24% last year, according to a note on Friday.

The race to secure lithium is playing out at the highest levels, with nations including the US prioritizing access to the materials necessary for making batteries as the world turns away from fossil fuels. China’s needs are particularly acute because it’s home to the world’s biggest market for new energy vehicles.

The rise in Chinese output will include an increase in material derived from lepidolite, a lithium-bearing rock often overlooked as poor quality and environmentally unsound because of its low yield and high energy costs. UBS sees lepidolite in China accounting for 280,000 tons of lithium in 2025, or 13% of global supply, from 88,000 tons last year, as the government continues to support the sector.

Beijing has already moved to curb unlicensed lepidolite extraction in Jiangxi province, a major mining hub, as it seeks to exert more control over its deposits.

Lightning kills football players in western Kenya

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Two football players died after being struck by lightning while playing a match in Kisii county in western Kenya, local media report.

Two other players were taken to hospital for emergency treatment after they got injuries during the weekend tournament.

A football federation official was quoted as saying that the teams were having a friendly match when it began to rain.

“It is quite unfortunate that they lost their lives while playing a game that they loved most. As federation officials, we send our condolences to the affected families,” the Daily Nation quoted the local Football Kenya Federation chairman Evans Akang’a as saying.

The official urged the authorities to install lightning arrestors in public areas including schools where matches take place in order to reduce such incidents.

BBC

Seven things you (probably) didn’t know about Martha Ankomah

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Martha Ankomah

Equate her brand with decency, and you will probably not be far from the truth.

I am talking about Ghanaian actress, Martha Ankomah, who has earned the respect and admiration of Ghanaians as one of the most decent actresses in the country.

Born on 10 October 1985, Ankomah has starred in various films including: A Happy Surprise, Shattered Lives and Side Chicks, just to mention a few.

She began her acting career through her cousin in 1994. After taking part in several auditions for movies, and acting in some television serials and film productions, she competed in the 2007 edition of the Next Movie Star reality show, where she came in third place.

Here are 7 interesting things we bet you didn’t know about the decent actress.

  1. Education

She attended the Adabraka Presbyterian Junior High School, Labone Senior High School and Jayee University College.

2.Beauty business

In July 2013, Ankomah officially opened her beauty salon “Martha’s Place” in Accra. The salon offers services for   women. It is currently located at Spintex.

3. Foundation

Ankomah runs her own foundation which was launched in 2016.  The foundation seeks to provide health awareness, childcare support programmes, livelihood empowerment and community development projects. The foundation works together with autism ambassadors to promote autism awareness and support children living with autism.

4. Brand Ambassador:

In 2014, Ankomah signed an endorsement deal with Vitamilk. Dusk Capital Limited, a Ghanaian investment bank, signed a deal with Ankomah as its brand ambassador in 2017. She has worked with Globacom since 2018 as a brand ambassador. In the same year, Ankomah was named the brand ambassador for Ghana Textiles Printers’ new fabric, ‘Adepa Dumas’.

5. ICGC

The Ghanaians actress is a devout Christian who is not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. She currently fellowships with the International Central Gospel Church.

6. Favourite food

Ankomah enjoys banku and okro soup as one of her favourite Ghanaian dishes.

7. Nickname

She is nicknamed “blood of Jesus” by various industry folks for the fact that, she always shouts “blood of Jesus” whenever something is out of place.

 

Aramco: Saudi state-owned oil giant sees record profit of $161bn

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Saudi Aramco

Saudi oil giant Aramco has announced a record profit of $161.1bn (£134bn) for 2022, helped by soaring energy prices and bigger volumes.

It represents a 46.5% rise for the state-owned company, compared with last year.

It is the latest energy firm to report record profits, after energy prices spiked following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

America’s ExxonMobil made $55.7bn, and Britain’s Shell reported $39.9bn.

Aramco also declared a dividend of $19.5bn for the October to December quarter of 2022, to be paid in the first quarter of this year.

Most of that will go to the Saudi government, which owns nearly 95% of the shares in the company.

Brent crude oil, the benchmark oil price, now trades at around $82 a barrel – though prices exceeded $120 a barrel last March, after Russia’s invasion, and June.

“Aramco rode the wave of high energy prices in 2022,” said Robert Mogielnicki of the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. “It would have been difficult for Aramco not to perform strongly in 2022.”

In a statement on Sunday, Aramco said the company results were “underpinned by stronger crude oil prices, higher volumes sold and improved margins for refined products”.

Aramco’s president and CEO Amin Nasser said: “Given that we anticipate oil and gas will remain essential for the foreseeable future, the risks of underinvestment in our industry are real – including contributing to higher energy prices.”

To address those challenges, he said, the company would not only focus on expanding oil, gas and chemicals production – but also invest in new lower-carbon technologies.

Aramco – the world’s second-most valuable company only behind America’s Apple – is a major emitter of greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change.

Responding to Aramco’s announcement, Amnesty International’s secretary general Agnès Callamard said: “It is shocking for a company to make a profit of more than $161bn in a single year through the sale of fossil fuel – the single largest driver of the climate crisis.”

She added: “It is all the more shocking because this surplus was amassed during a global cost-of-living crisis and aided by the increase in energy prices resulting from Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.”

Saudi Arabia is the largest producer in the oil cartel Opec (Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries).

The Gulf kingdom has been condemned for a range of human rights abuses: its involvement in the conflict in neighbouring Yemen, the murder in 2018 of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, for jailing dissidents, and for the widespread use of capital punishment.

In a separate development on Sunday, Iran said its oil exports had reached their highest level since the re-imposition of US sanctions in 2018.

Oil Minister Javad Owji said exports increased by 83 million barrels in 2022 compared with the previous 12 months. In Iran, a new year starts in March.

Analysts say the rise is due to greater shipments to Iranian allies China and Venezuela.

Tehran’s export revenues took a significant hit after then-US President Donald Trump pulled out of a landmark nuclear deal five years ago.

The US sanctions, coupled with economic mismanagement and corruption, have meant that the Iranian economy has not had any substantive growth in the past decade. And by some measures, it is still 4-8% smaller than it was back in 2010.

Ashaiman: Murdered Soldier was returning from female friend when he was attacked

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The Ghana Police Service on Sunday (12 March) gave a blow-by-blow account of how a gang killed 21-year-old trooper of the Ghana Armed Forces Sherrif Imoro in Ashaiman and stole his phone.

The police said so far six suspects have been picked up for investigations.

The suspected killers of Sherrif Imoro
The suspected killers of Sherrif Imoro

“Further investigation has established that suspects Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick at about 1:45am on 4 March 2023 attacked the deceased at Taifa Ashiaman in an attempt to rob him of his phone and a backpack,” the police statement said.

“The deceased, however, resisted and struggled with the suspects. During the struggle, suspect Tetteh pulled out a knife and stabbed the deceased in the arm, snatched his phone and bolted leaving the deceased with the knife stuck in his arm.

“A postmortem examination was performed on the deceased’s body on 8 March 2023, after which the pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as exsanguination and laceration of major vessels of left arm consistent with stabbed injury,” the statement added.

Below is the full police account of the incident:

GHANA POLICE SERVICE STATEMENT ON THE MURDER OF A SOLDIER, IMORO SHERRIF

The Ghana Police Service, after a week of sustained intelligence-led operation, has arrested six persons at different dates and various locations within Ashiaman and its environs for their suspected involvement in the murder of Imoro Sherrif, a soldier.

On 4th March 2023, Police received information that a male adult had been found lying dead at Ashiaman Taifa in the Greater Accra Region.

A team of Police officers proceeded to the said location and confirmed the incident.

Police immediately commenced investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death of the victim. The officers cordoned off the scene and called in the specialist Police Crime Scene team to process the scene for forensic analysis.

The Crime Scene Team retrieved a number of items, including a knife with blood stains on it and a backpack. In the backpack, Police found 1 Samsung tablet, 1 Apple laptop, 1 military uniform with the name tag “Imoro”, 8 other items of clothing, as well as a Ghana card and a Health Insurance card bearing the name Imoro Sherrif.

Judging from the contents of the backpack, the police suspected the victim could be a soldier, and in line with Police standard operating procedure for handling institution-based victims, the Military was accordingly notified of the incident and some military personnel came to identify the deceased to Police as Imoro Sheriff, a soldier.

The body of the deceased was thereafter conveyed to a hospital for preservation and autopsy.

As part of the investigation, an intelligence operation was immediately launched within Ashiaman and other strategic locations of interest to follow up on all relevant leads on the case.

On the same day, consistent with Ghanaian tradition and as part of the investigation process, a team of police officers after identifying the residence of the parents of the deceased, visited them, commiserated with them and assured them of a thorough investigation into the matter.

During the visit, the parents informed the Police that the deceased was stationed at Sunyani but had come to Accra on a course.

Investigations further revealed that on 3rd March, 2023 the deceased had visited a female friend at Ashaiman Newtown at about 10:30pm and left the place in the middle of the night at about 01:30am, on the 4th March, 2023.

After almost a week of painstaking intelligence-led operations, on 9th March, 2023 the police arrested suspects Safianu Musah alias Dayorgu and Ibrahim Abdul Rakib at their hideouts in Ashaiman. Two other suspects, Samuel Tetteh alias Wiper and Abubakar Sadick alias Birdman were also arrested at their hideouts on 10th March, 2023. Two additional suspects, Yussif Mohammed and Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim were arrested on 11th and 12th March, 2023 respectively.

Further investigation has established that suspects Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick at about 1:45am on 4th March 2023 attacked the deceased at Taifa Ashiaman in an attempt to rob him of his phone and a backpack. The deceased, however, resisted and struggled with the suspects. During the struggle, suspect Samuel Tetteh pulled out a knife and stabbed the deceased in the arm, snatched his phone and bolted leaving the deceased with the knife stuck in his arm.

A postmortem examination was performed on the deceased’s body on 8th March, 2023, after which the pathologist gave the verbal cause of death as exsanguination and laceration of major vessels of left arm consistent with stabbed injury.

Investigations also revealed that suspects Samuel Tetteh and Abubakar Sadick sold the phone which they had robbed from the deceased to suspect Ibrahim Abdul Rakib who later sold it to suspect Safianu Musah. Suspect Safianu Musah is being evasive as to the whereabouts of the phone and claims to have sold it to suspect Yussif Mohammed and later to suspect Abdul Gafaru Abdul Karim. Both suspects have been arrested and are assisting the investigation to recover the phone.

On 12th March, 2023 a team of police officers led by the Tema Regional Police Commander visited the family of the deceased and briefed them on the investigations done so far.

We wish to commend all police officers at all levels of Command, especially the crack police intelligence and investigation teams as well as the Ashiaman District Police Command for their professionalism and meticulous dedication, working around the clock to unravel this case.

We would like to assure the public, especially the family of the deceased, that all the suspects are in Police custody and will be put before the court on Monday,13th March, 2023 to justice.