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87-Year-Old Man Jailed 20 Years for Defiling Nine-Year-Old Girl

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An 87-year-old man has been sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for defiling a nine-year-old girl, in a case highlighting the serious legal consequences of sexual offences against children.

The sentence follows the conclusion of legal proceedings in which the elderly man was found guilty of the offence. The court’s decision underscores the importance of protecting children from sexual abuse and holding perpetrators accountable under the law.

The victim, aged just nine at the time of the offence, is among the most vulnerable members of society, making the case particularly concerning because of the harm sexual abuse can cause to children.

Defilement is a serious criminal offence, and Ghanaian law provides for punishment for individuals convicted of engaging in unlawful sexual activity with children below the age of consent.

The 20-year prison sentence reflects the court’s determination of the punishment in the case. However, details regarding the location of the incident, the circumstances surrounding the offence, the evidence presented during the trial and the date of sentencing were not immediately available in the information provided.

The case also highlights the need for parents, guardians, schools and communities to remain vigilant and ensure that children are protected from abuse, exploitation and other forms of harm.

Child protection advocates have consistently stressed the importance of reporting suspected abuse promptly and ensuring that victims receive the necessary medical, psychological and social support.

Members of the public are encouraged to report suspected cases of child abuse to the appropriate authorities rather than attempting to handle such matters privately.

The sentencing serves as a reminder that age does not place anyone above the law and that allegations of sexual offences must be investigated and prosecuted through the proper legal process.

Further details from the police or court records would help establish the full circumstances of the case.

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Police Arrest Suspect Captured in Viral Video Assaulting Woman

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The police have arrested a suspect allegedly captured in a viral video assaulting a woman, following public attention surrounding the incident.

The arrest comes after footage showing the alleged assault circulated on social media, drawing reactions from viewers and renewed calls for action against violence targeting women.

The video reportedly captured the suspect physically attacking the woman, although the circumstances leading to the incident and the relationship between the individuals involved have not been established in the information available.

The police are expected to investigate the incident to determine what transpired before, during and after the alleged assault. Investigators may also rely on the video footage, witness accounts and statements from the individuals involved to establish the facts of the case.

The arrest represents a step towards determining the circumstances surrounding the incident and whether the suspect should face criminal charges.

However, further details regarding the suspect’s identity, the location and date of the alleged assault, the condition of the woman and the specific charges being considered have not yet been provided.

The incident has also drawn attention to concerns about violence against women and the role social media can play in bringing alleged wrongdoing to public attention.

While viral footage can help investigators identify incidents requiring attention, the police must establish the facts through a proper investigation and ensure that any prosecution follows due process.

Members of the public are urged to allow the authorities to carry out their work while avoiding the circulation of unverified claims about the people involved.

The suspect is presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Further information from the police is expected to clarify the circumstances of the incident and the next steps in the investigation.

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Police Investigate Shooting Incident at Ritz Junction

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The police have launched an investigation into a shooting incident at Ritz Junction, as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported gunfire.

The incident has raised concerns about public safety in the area, with further details expected to emerge as investigators gather information and piece together what happened.

Police are expected to establish the events leading up to the shooting, identify any persons involved and determine whether criminal offences were committed.

However, details regarding the exact time of the incident, the number of people involved, possible casualties and the motive behind the shooting have not yet been confirmed in the information available.

The investigation will be crucial in determining whether the incident resulted from a dispute, a targeted attack or other circumstances. These possibilities remain unconfirmed, and no conclusions can be drawn until the police establish the facts.

Authorities may also rely on witness accounts, available CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct the incident and identify any suspects connected to the case.

Residents and motorists in the vicinity are encouraged to provide relevant information to the police that could assist with the investigation.

The police have yet to provide further details on possible arrests or the progress of the inquiry in the information provided.

The public is expected to await an official update as investigators work to establish the facts surrounding the shooting.

Further information from the police, including details of any casualties, arrests or persons of interest, will be necessary to provide a complete account of the incident. Police Investigate Shooting Incident at Ritz Junction

The police have launched an investigation into a shooting incident at Ritz Junction, as authorities work to establish the circumstances surrounding the reported gunfire.

The incident has raised concerns about public safety in the area, with further details expected to emerge as investigators gather information and piece together what happened.

Police are expected to establish the events leading up to the shooting, identify any persons involved and determine whether criminal offences were committed.

However, details regarding the exact time of the incident, the number of people involved, possible casualties and the motive behind the shooting have not yet been confirmed in the information available.

The investigation will be crucial in determining whether the incident resulted from a dispute, a targeted attack or other circumstances. These possibilities remain unconfirmed, and no conclusions can be drawn until the police establish the facts.

Authorities may also rely on witness accounts, available CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct the incident and identify any suspects connected to the case.

Residents and motorists in the vicinity are encouraged to provide relevant information to the police that could assist with the investigation.

The police have yet to provide further details on possible arrests or the progress of the inquiry in the information provided.

The public is expected to await an official update as investigators work to establish the facts surrounding the shooting.

Further information from the police, including details of any casualties, arrests or persons of interest, will be necessary to provide a complete account of the incident.

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Lawyers Seek 48-Hour Court Order Compelling Mahama to Appoint Ex-CJ to Council of State

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A legal application has reportedly been filed seeking an order compelling President John Dramani Mahama to appoint a former Chief Justice to the Council of State within 48 hours.

The move could set the stage for a legal confrontation over the appointment process and the obligations of the President under Ghana’s constitutional framework.

The lawyers are seeking the court’s intervention to compel the President to take the requested action within a strict 48-hour period. However, the specific former Chief Justice involved, the identities of the lawyers and the precise legal grounds for the application were not provided in the headline.

The application raises questions about the extent of presidential discretion in appointments to the Council of State, a constitutional advisory body that assists the President on matters of national governance.

The Council of State plays an important role in Ghana’s constitutional arrangements, offering advice on national issues and performing other functions assigned to it under the 1992 Constitution.

Any court proceedings arising from the application could bring renewed attention to the relationship between executive authority and judicial oversight, particularly where applicants argue that a constitutional duty requires action by the President.

The court will have to consider the legal arguments presented and determine whether the circumstances justify the specific order being sought.

It remains unclear whether the application has been heard, whether the court has issued any interim directions or when a decision may be delivered.

Further details from the originating court documents and the parties involved will be necessary to establish the full circumstances of the case.

The development could become a significant constitutional matter depending on the arguments advanced and the court’s eventual determination.

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GHATOF Members Demand Answers Over World Cup Visa Fees, Expanded Beneficiary List

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Allegations surrounding the management of visa arrangements for Ghanaian tourism industry players seeking to attend activities related to the 2026 FIFA World Cup have triggered fresh questions about transparency and accountability at the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA).

The controversy centres on allegations by the President of the Ghana Tourism Federation (GHATOF) concerning visa fees paid by members, discrepancies in the list of applicants submitted for processing, and the inclusion of additional names whose identities and affiliations have been questioned.

The concerns were highlighted in a Facebook post by Vincent Ekow Assafuah, who called on GTA Chief Executive Officer Maame Efua Houadjeto to provide answers regarding the handling of the arrangements.

According to the allegations outlined in the post, GHATOF was initially allocated four slots for the World Cup-related trip, but the number was subsequently increased to 20.

Members reportedly paid GH¢2,000 each to Maame Efua towards the visa arrangements. However, some applicants allegedly discovered at the embassy that their visa fees had not been paid, raising questions about the handling of the money collected.

The post questioned whether the fees had been remitted to the embassy and, if not, what had happened to the funds. It also called for the affected members to receive refunds where payments had not been made.

Another major concern raised in the post involves an alleged discrepancy between the list of applicants submitted by GHATOF and the names that eventually appeared on the visa list.

According to the allegations, GHATOF submitted 20 names, but members later discovered in Accra that the list had expanded to 50, with an additional 30 individuals reportedly listed under the name “Ahwele Dancing Group.”

The post stated that preliminary checks had not established the existence of the group, prompting questions about the identities of the individuals listed under its name and the basis on which they were included.

The GHATOF President also reportedly alleged that individuals who were neither affiliated with the Ghana Tourism Authority nor employed by the institution had been included in the arrangements.

These claims have raised questions about who authorised the additional names, the criteria used to select beneficiaries and whether the allocation process followed established procedures.

However, the allegations have not, in themselves, established that any funds were misappropriated or that the additional names were unlawfully included.

In remarks captured in the video accompanying the Facebook post, the GHATOF President expressed disappointment over the difficulties encountered by members during the visa process.

He said members had been approached months earlier and subsequently informed that their visa fees had not been paid. He added that many applicants, including himself, were told that their names were not even on the relevant form.

The President also described the situation as embarrassing for tourism industry players who had travelled from different parts of the country to participate in the arrangements.

“It is unfortunate, it is embarrassing, it is very disappointing for people to travel from Sunyani all the way to Takoradi,” he said.

The GHATOF President further apologised for the situation and indicated that the matter required attention, stressing that the experience was unacceptable to those affected.

His comments reflected concerns about the treatment of industry players and the potential damage to confidence in arrangements intended to support Ghana’s tourism sector.

During the same remarks, the GHATOF President stated that the visa fees had been paid in the afternoon.

He said any money that had been collected from members but was required to be returned should be refunded immediately.

“It is on record that the visa fees were paid in the afternoon. So, any money that was given to come back immediately, it has to come back,” he said.

He described this as an assurance to the affected members and indicated that the governing council would take a decision on the way forward.

He also suggested that another press conference could be organised if necessary to address the matter.

The remarks introduce an important issue requiring clarification: the precise status of the visa payments, including when the fees were paid, which applicants were covered and whether any outstanding amounts remain to be refunded.

The available remarks do not fully establish the payment timeline or resolve the questions surrounding the funds reportedly collected from members.

Pressure for transparency and accountability

The controversy comes at a time when tourism industry stakeholders are seeking clarity on how opportunities linked to the 2026 FIFA World Cup were allocated and administered.

For GHATOF members who reportedly paid towards the visa arrangements, the immediate concerns include whether their payments were properly accounted for, why some applicants allegedly found their names missing and how the final list came to contain 50 names instead of the 20 reportedly submitted by the federation.

The allegations also raise questions about the process used to identify beneficiaries and the involvement of individuals outside the Ghana Tourism Authority.

Maame Efua Houadjeto is being called upon to clarify the circumstances surrounding the visa fees, explain the reported expansion of the list and identify the individuals associated with the additional 30 names.

The Ghana Tourism Authority’s response would be important in establishing the facts, including the amount collected, the payments made to the embassy, the final list of applicants and the procedures followed in selecting beneficiaries.

Until the relevant records and responses are made available, the claims remain allegations that require verification.

For the affected tourism operators, a clear explanation and an account of the money collected could help address the concerns raised and restore confidence in the management of opportunities intended for the industry.

 

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GTA Directors Seek Financial, Procurement and Management Records Under RTI Law

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Fourteen directors of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) have petitioned the Right to Information Commission to compel the disclosure of official records relating to the authority’s administration, finances, procurement activities and operations from February 2025.

The directors, in an application dated September 23, 2026, are seeking the Commission’s intervention after alleging that a request submitted to Acting Chief Executive Officer Marilyn Maame Efua Houadjeto in July did not receive a substantive response within the statutory period.

Their request covered a broad range of institutional records, organised in a four-volume schedule, relating to the governance and administration of the authority. The categories identified in the application include leadership and governance, human resource management, financial administration, the Tourism Development Fund and Tourism Levy, procurement and contracts, assets, regional operations, tourism promotion, strategic projects, official travel, institutional communications and general administration.

The application seeks certified official records covering the period from February 2025 to the date of the original request. The directors’ objective, as reflected in the petition, is to obtain access to records held by the public institution through the procedures provided under the Right to Information Act, 2019 (Act 989).

The directors said they submitted the request to the Acting CEO on July 24, 2026. Receipt was acknowledged in a letter dated July 27, 2026.

According to the petition, the authority did not provide the requested records, issue a substantive decision on access, grant partial access, give reasons for a refusal or notify the applicants of a lawful extension within the 14-day statutory period.

The directors therefore treated the absence of a response as a deemed refusal under Section 23(5) of the Act and proceeded to seek an internal review.

Their internal review application was dated August 13, 2026, and received on August 14. It was addressed to the Chairperson of the GTA Governing Board, Dorothy Lomotey Engmann.

In a letter dated August 20, the Board Chairperson acknowledged receipt and explained that she had been outside the jurisdiction on medical grounds. She said the matter would be referred for advice and direction.

The directors maintained that the acknowledgement did not constitute a substantive decision on the review. They said the 15-day period for the internal review expired on August 29 without a determination, leading them to invoke Section 35 of Act 989 on deemed affirmation.

The petition to the Commission now seeks an order requiring the GTA to disclose all records requested by the directors that are not protected by a lawful exemption.

The applicants are also asking the Commission to require the authority to specify the legal grounds for withholding any information and explain why each exemption applies. Where a document contains both exempt and non-exempt information, they want the accessible portions released rather than the entire record being withheld.

They have further asked for directions on how the matter should be handled if the GTA claims that particular records do not exist.

The financial and administrative categories in the request make the application relevant to questions of public-sector transparency and institutional accountability. Records relating to the Tourism Development Fund and Tourism Levy, procurement and contracts, assets and financial administration are among the areas covered by the broad request.

However, the petition does not, by itself, establish that funds have been misused, contracts improperly awarded or records deliberately concealed. It is an application seeking access to official information and a review of the authority’s alleged failure to follow the statutory process.

The directors have asked the Commission to determine the legal effect of the missed response and internal review deadlines, confirm its jurisdiction and issue appropriate directions to secure access to non-exempt records.

Angelo Yossi Dogbe, the GTA Northern Regional Director, filed the application as the authorised representative for correspondence and filing on behalf of the concerned directors.

The other directors named in the application are Kwasi Anim-Larbi, William Dzidzomu, Spencer Doku, Isaac Asiam, Frederick Adjei-Rudolph, Alhaj Hakeem A. Ismael, Moses Ndewin Ndebugri, Alfred Asumadu, Henry Yeleduor, Nana Agyenim Boateng, Michael Kpingbi, Kwesi Frimpong and Sulemana Amadu.

The Commission’s determination, if issued, would clarify the next steps in the dispute over access to the requested records. No ruling by the Commission or finding of financial or procurement wrongdoing is established in the material provided.

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