Police Hunt Boxer

Posted: Daily Guide | Friday, 18 March 2011
www.dailyguideghana.com
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The police at James Town in Accra have begun a search for a boxer by name Nii Aryee Bruno popularly called Gbese Bruno.

Gbese Bruno, a super middle weight fighter, is being hunted because he has been on the wanted list of the James Town police station for his involvement in a series of issues concerning the Gbese stool, with the latest being a shooting incident on Tuesday night.

James Town District Police Commander, Superintendent Benjamin Bakomora, who confirmed the story to DAILY GUIDE SPORTS, narrated that in their statements to the police, the victims including 28-year-old Joseph Armah Tetteh, Joseph Tagoe, 20, and 22-year-old Kwaku Sadat claimed the boxer shot the three persons with a locally manufactured pistol without provocation.

Some were hit on the face, abdomen, chest, legs and hands whilst others run for cover.

The incident was said to have taken place at Bukom around 8.00pm near the Sukumo Wulomo (traditional priest) stool house where the victims had gathered and were having a conversation.

The police believed the shooting incident had something to do with a chieftaincy dispute over the Gbese Stool. According to Superintendent Bakomora, a fight had ensued between two factions after a court hearing in the course of the day.

He noted that the shooting incident could have been the rippling effect of a scuffle that began earlier in the day, since the victims claimed Gbese Bruno had come to the area in the company of some of his friends whose names were given as Braka, Ampah, Larbi and Saban to confront some members of one of the disputed factions in the Gbese stool case.

They were said to be holding broken bottles, cutlasses and other offensive weapons when they went to the area.

In the heat of the event, the boxer was said to have shot the three persons and fled.

A complaint was lodged with the police who issued the victims with medical forms to go for treatment at the accident centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital where they were treated and discharged.

Each time he commits any such heinous crime, Gbese Bruno is said to go into hiding for a long time and later resurfaces to commit another one.

The boxer and his accomplices have since gone into hiding with the police mounting a manhunt for him.

He is believed to be hiding in Nungua or Teshie in Accra. Superintendent Bakomora therefore urged members of the public who have any information on his whereabouts to assist the police with such information.

Drama Over GBC Boss Dismissal

Posted: Daily Guide | Thursday, 17 March 2011
www.dailyguideghana.com
By Charles Takyi-Boadu
The sudden decision by President Mills to remove one of government’s two nominees serving on the National Media Commission (NMC), Samuel Appiah-Ampofo has raised eyebrows.

Mr Appiah-Ampofo was the Chairman of the committee set up by the NMC to investigate William Ampem-Darko, the dismissed Director-General of the state broadcaster, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).

Mr Ampem-Darko’s appointment was terminated by the NMC on Tuesday after he was asked to proceed on indefinite leave some months ago following allegations of impropriety and tension at the GBC.

But even before he could make the findings of his committee available to the entire membership of the NMC, he was withdrawn and replaced by one Kodzo Batse, a long standing lecturer at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ).
The development has raised eyebrows, since according to sources, the findings of his report would have exonerated the dismissed GBC boss of any wrongdoing.

A statement issued by the Commission and signed by its chairman, Kabral Blay-Amihere dated March 16, 2011 which communicated the decision to the media, said the decision follows deliberations on the recent impasse.

Another statement by the NMC and signed by Executive Secretary, George Sarpong dated March 16, 2011 announced President Mills’ decision to withdraw one of his nominees serving on the Commission.

The decision also affected the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Corporation, Professor John B.K Aheto who has been at loggerheads with Mr Ampem-Darko since his appointment to the position.

Mr Appiah-Ampofo was also the Chairman of the Finance and Administration of the committee.

According to the former GBC boss, in spite of the fact that the findings of the committee were not communicated to him, the decision to end his contract was made without the chairman of the committee.

He could not fathom why a decision was taken to withdraw Mr Appiah-Ampofo from the Commission eight hours before his dismissal as GBC boss, thereby raising suspicion of underhand dealings.

Speaking on Joy FM yesterday, Mr Ampem-Darko said he suspected foul play in the termination of his appointment since according to him, the decision to end his contract was taken without the chairman of the committee who sat on the case.

“So the chairman of the committee that investigated the GBC affairs was withdrawn eight hours to the time they were supposed to take a decision on the findings.

Even Mr Appiah-Ampofo never had the opportunity to affirm the final meeting that took the decision to terminate my appointment,” he wondered.

He stressed that there was more to the decision to terminate his appointment than merely explanations given so far.

The former GBC boss however denied any wrongdoing during his tenure at GBC, indicating his preparedness to go to court to clear his dented image and reputation which he managed to build over the past 35years.

He has since asked the NMC to institute forensic investigations (audit) into the allegation of financial impropriety leveled against him by his accusers within the next two weeks.

TOR In ‘Messy’ Oil Deal

Posted: Daily Guide |Wednesday, 16 March 2011
www.dailyguideghana.com
By Charles Takyi-Boadu

Questions are being asked at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) over the ownership of some 600,000 barrels of brass crude oil worth $48million supplied to Ghana last year.

Currently, three or more companies including Refinee Petroplus, Diamond Shipping Company Limited and another one are all claiming ownership of the oil and its proceeds.

DAILY GUIDE’s investigations show that one of the companies has even succeeded in imposing a court injunction on TOR.

Though the management of TOR, headed by former Managing Director (MD) of Ghamot Ghana, Ato Ampiah, is not forthcoming with details about the transaction, one Nigerian shipping company, Diamond Shipping, has alerted the police and the Bureau of National investigations (BNI) of what seems to be a well-orchestrated scam.

The original officials of Refinee Petroplus have since denied having any interests in Africa, let alone Ghana and the lady whose name was presented as their local representative here in Ghana has proved to be a worker of Sahara Energy Ghana Limited whilst the address of the company is non existent.

Mr. Ampiah and Alhaji Awud Ariff Abubakar, the Board member who sat on the committee that nominated Diamond Shipping Company for the lifting of the oil cargo, were tight-lipped on the issue when contacted on Monday.

But General Manager In-charge of Commerce at TOR, Dr Alphonse Dorcoo, however denied TOR ever dealing with Diamond shipping company and its CEO, Dr Maureen, though the company still insists it was mandated by TOR, through a letter of nomination which requested them to load the oil onto a vessel, MT VERGINA II.

Based on this, the company, through its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Dr Maureen Nwangwu-Iduh, began to source for the product in August 2010 and eventually succeeded in lifting the product to Ghana.

Before then, Dr Nwangwu-Iduh was said to have been contacted by one Prince Solomon to be allowed to lift the product with his vessel, MT Jacksonville, and sent her a request to enable him to load same.

Dr Nwangwu-Iduh was however said to have called to inform him that MT Vergina had already been engaged for that purpose and therefore could not strike a deal with Solomon.

But even before Dr Nwangwu-Iduh and the oil could arrive in the country for the product to be inspected and offloaded by TOR, Mr Solomon had succeeded in convincing officials of the oil refinery that the cargo on board the vessel was his.

He was then said to have conspired with an official of TOR, one William Wade and another Board Member of the company, Alhaji Awud Ariff Abubakar, to discharge the product without documentation in relation to the vessel or the cargo delivered.

Solomon was said to have subsequently attempted to sell the oil cargo to a company by name Eagle Eye Resources but it backfired.

He was later said to have called Dr Maureen Nwangwu-Iduh, claiming that Alhaji Ariff had decided to pay Refinee Petroplus, thereby recognizing them as the suppliers of the product.

Alhaji Ariff was part of the committee that nominated Diamond Shipping for the right to supply the oil cargo to TOR.

This compelled Dr Maureen Nwangwu-Iduh to cause officers at the Airport police station to arrest Solomon.

Officials of Diamond Shipping have since managed to secure a court injunction against TOR, making it impossible to make any payment through anyone or the banks to anyone else until the investigations or litigations were concluded.

Though the issue was reported to the National Security (Blue Gate), it is currently being handled by the BNI.