A 40-year-old businessman, Nurudeen Abdul Ganew, has appeared before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly impersonating Professor Joshua Alabi, a prominent figure in the National Democratic Congress (NDC), to defraud a Council of State member.

Ganew is facing charges of impersonation and defrauding by false pretences. He was arraigned alongside his two brothers, Nurudeen Rashid and Nurudeen Gafaru, on a joint charge of conspiracy to commit crime. All three pleaded not guilty and were granted bail set at GH¢150,000 with three sureties, one of whom must be justified.

Presiding judge Mrs. Sedinam Awo Kwadam ordered the accused to reappear in court on July 21, 2025.

Prosecutors revealed that on March 3, 2025, Ganew posed as Professor Alabi and deceived Mr. Hakeem Addae, a Council of State member and NDC Constituency Chairman for Twifo-Atti Morkwa. Ganew, also pretending to be a Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) official, allegedly promised to help Mr. Addae acquire a Toyota Land Cruiser and ten auctioned trucks, prompting the victim to send him GH¢60,000.

Ganew was later arrested at his residence in Wa, Upper West Region. The arrest led to the seizure of four identity cards, three pen drives, four mobile phones, and GH¢14,896 in cash.

Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of his brothers in Subinso, a suburb of Wenchi, on July 2, 2025. A search of their home uncovered over 12 mobile phones, multiple SIM cards—including some used in communication with Mr. Addae—and a political party database listing constituency executives across Ghana’s 16 regions.

Authorities say the three brothers formed a fraud syndicate, targeting high-profile individuals such as chiefs, queen mothers, political leaders, and companies. Ganew was identified as the ringleader who directly engaged victims, while his brothers facilitated the withdrawal of funds through mobile money vendors across several cities including Wa, Wenchi, Sunyani, Techiman, Koforidua, and Accra.

A 60-year-old man, Doe Fiano, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by an Accra High Court for shooting and killing his wife in the presence of their four-year-old child.

Fiano pleaded guilty to manslaughter and received an additional 10-year sentence for unlawful possession of a firearm. However, Justice Mrs. Kizita Naa Koowa Quarshie ruled that both sentences will run concurrently.

The tragic event unfolded after a heated argument between Fiano and his wife, Grace Yorke Torku, triggered by a phone call she received from a male acquaintance. In a jealous outburst, Fiano retrieved a pistol from their bedroom and fatally shot her.

Originally facing a murder charge, Fiano pleaded guilty to the lesser offense of manslaughter under Section 296(1) of Act 30, resulting in a reduced sentence.

Fiano’s lawyer pleaded for leniency, highlighting that he had no previous criminal record, had shown remorse, and was the main caregiver for their children. However, the prosecution pushed for a minimum 30-year sentence, stressing the emotional trauma caused to the child who witnessed the killing and the brutal nature of the act — including gunshot wounds to the victim’s head and genital area.

In delivering the sentence, the judge considered both mitigating and aggravating factors, including Fiano’s remorse, his role as a first-time offender, and his responsibilities to his children.

According to prosecutors, the Assemblyman for the Okomante Electoral Area, Gordon Tsimese, alerted authorities after Fiano was spotted wielding a gun and threatening residents at Taaboo Line. Police later discovered Grace lying in a pool of blood. The murder weapon and an empty magazine were recovered in a subsequent search.

Fiano was later apprehended at Nii Amui Park in Ashaiman through police intelligence. A pathologist from Tema General Hospital confirmed that Grace died from gunshot wounds to the head.

Police in Tamale have arrested a 53-year-old man, Alhaji Abdulai Sayuti, for allegedly possessing and unlawfully selling large quantities of restricted drugs.

The arrest took place on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, around 1:30 p.m., during an intelligence-led operation. Sayuti was apprehended at his over-the-counter chemical shop located near Victory Cinema in the Aboabo area. At the scene, officers discovered 368 blisters of Tramadol (120mg) and 298 blisters of Tramaking (120mg).

Following the arrest, a search at Sayuti’s residence in Fuo, a suburb of Tamale, uncovered a hidden warehouse containing an additional 447 boxes of Tramadol and 11 boxes of Tramaking.

Chief Inspector Alhassan Luckman Neindow, the Northern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, confirmed the incident to Graphic Online. He stated that the suspect was arraigned on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, and pleaded guilty to charges related to the possession and sale of restricted drugs. The court remanded Sayuti into prison custody, with his next court appearance set for July 21, 2025.

Chief Inspector Neindow emphasized the police’s commitment to fighting illegal drug distribution and called on the public to support their efforts.

“We encourage the public to volunteer information to help us fight this menace in our communities,” he said.