High court orders arrest of Water Resources Minister (Details)

Dr. Agyemang-Mensah

The Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing, Dr. Kweku Agyemang-Mesah has found himself on the wrong side of the law, as  the High court in Ho has issued a bench  warrant  for his arrest.

The court issued the warrant after the minister failed to appear before it on several occasions to answer to contempt charges brought against him and two other directors of ministry over destructions caused to some communities in the Keta municipality as a result of the Ada sea defense project.

Two persons, Marshall Koblah Fenu   and Zikpuitor Benjamin Atsu Fenu in early 2015, filed a writ in court seeking an interlocutory injunction on the Ada sea defense project being undertaken by  Dredging  International  Company from Netherlands, due to its adverse impact on the Gamenu, Fuveme and Kporkopor-Kedzi communities along the estuary. 

They also asked the court to order the ministry and the contractor to take immediate remedial steps to safeguard the communities. An order the court presided over by his Lordship Patrick Bayerh granted, giving the ministry 40 days to carry out the remedy. This was however not heeded to by  the ministry,  prompting  the plaintiffs to return to court with contempt charges against the minister, the chief director and the director of hydrological service.

However, since the start of the  contempt hearing in December 2015, the minister Dr. Agyemang-Mensah has never appeared in court, though the chief director, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu and director of hydrological services, Mr Owusu Ansah were present on most occasions.

Court remands rival chief in Aflao Chieftaincy dispute

Torgbui Amenya Fiti (L) Torgbui Aflao Detu

The Ho High court on Friday remanded into Police custody, a claimant to the Aflao paramount stool, Togbui Afla Awuno Detu IX.

Torgbui Afla Detu, known in private life as Raphael Kodzovi Fiho was arraigned before the court after he was arrested by the Aflao Police on  Thursday for defying Police orders not to enter the town after security intelligence revealed his actions could spark violence.

Five other persons were also arrested by the police for attempting to enter the residence of the rival chief, after they had information that he (Torgbui Afla Detu) was in town to be outdoored as the new chief of the area.

Torgbui Afla Detu who was charged on two counts of offensive conduct, organizing public event without recourse to the public order act, however pleaded not guilty to both charges.

State Prosecutor, Moses Asampoa told the court the action of the rival chief, has raised tension in the area, with the potential to inflame chaos.  

He subsequently prayed the court to remand the accused in order to douse the tension in the area. But the defence counsel, Savior M.K Dzikunu rebutted the claims of the prosecutor and also prayed the grant bail to his client since the charges against him were bailable offences.  

Presiding judge Patrick Baaye in his wisdom remanded the rival chief into police custody to reappear on Tuesday, September 30. The decision, according to the Judge is for the safety of both the accused and the people of Aflao.