MARCH 22

WWW.DAILYHERITAGE.COM.GH DAILY HERITAGE THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2018 03
We’re innocent
BY MUNTALLA INUSAH
muntalla.inusah@dailyheritage.c
om.gh
ATEAM of five lawyers
yesterday made their
appearance at the
Criminal Division of
the Accra High Court
to represent the 14 accused persons
who have been charged for their respective
roles in the murder of the
ex-military officer, Major Maxwell
Adams Mahama.
Some of the accused persons,
since they were committed for trial
at the high court, have been struggling
to engage the services of legal
brains, forcing the commencement
of their trial to be deferred twice.
This even led to the trial judge,
Justice Mariama Owusu, a Court of
Appeal judge sitting with additional
responsibility as a High Court judge
to caution that should they appear
yesterday without legal representation
the trial would commence.
However, in court yesterday, five
lawyers made an appearance to
cover all the accused persons whose
• Maj. Mahama killers tell court,
five lawyers to their defence
respective pleas were taken and they
all pleaded not guilty to their respective
counts of abetment, conspiracy
to commit murder and murder.
The legal team comprises lawyer
George Bernard Shaw, Augustines
About, Augustine Gyamfi, Seidu
Nasigri and lawyer Godwin Gyamfi.
We’re innocent
William Baah, the Assemblyman
of Denkyira Obuasi, pleaded not
•Flashback: The suspected killers
guilty to his charge of abetment of
murder, while the remaining 13,
charged with conspiracy, also
pleaded not guilty.
They are Bernard Asamoah, Kofi
Nyame, Akwasi Baah, Kwame
Tuffour, Joseph Appiah Kubi,
Michael Anim, Bismark Donkor,
John Boasie, Akwasi Asante, Charles
Quaining, Emmanuel Baidoo, Bismark
Abanga and Kwadwo Animah.
Asamoah, Nyame, Baah, Tuffour,
Kubi, Anim, Donkor, Boasie, Asante
and Quaining also pleaded not guilty
to the charge of murder.
The court presided over by
Mariama Owusu, adjourned the
matter to April 12, for a seven-member
jury to be empanelled for the
trial.
State team
The state was represented by Mrs
Evelyn Keelson, Chief State Attorney,
Frances Mullen Ansah, Principal
State Attorney, Joshua Sackey, State
Attorney and Enam Bro-Mensah,
Assistant State Attorney.
Govt disrespected
Ghanaians — STRANEK
BY BENJAMIN TANDOH
US military base saga
THE STRATEGIC Thinkers Network
(STRANEK) Africa, a policy think tank, has expressed
its concern about the potential establishment
of the United States (US) military base
in the country.
According to them, the government did not
show respect to Ghanaians before going into
agreement with their US counterpart.
An official of STRANEK, Gideon Nii
Tettey Tetteh, told the DAILY HERITAGE
yesterday it would have been appropriate for the
government to consult stakeholders in the security
fraternity before coming up with the decision.
He expressed the opinion that the establishment
of the military base in the country would
expose the country to terrorists, saying, “Ghana
being a soft spot for terrorists cannot be excluded
with regard to the agreement sent to
Parliament.”
“There is no term limit in the agreement,
which means the US military base will be here
till thy kingdom come. It’s only respectful that
Ghanaians are told before the agreement is sent
to Parliament because they gave the government
the mandate to govern.
“Parliament is just to rubber stamp the
agreement. Government has majority in Parliament
and whether good or bad they can pass it
with their numbers,” adding that, “Stakeholders
meetings or forum for discussions with people
from all walks of life in Ghana is better grassroots
orientation.”
Mr Tettey further disclosed to the paper that
they were in talks with authorities to stage a
massive demonstration against the government
if Parliament approves the establishment of the
military base in the country.
In their release copied to the DAILY
HERITAGE earlier, STRANEK stated that
“Ghana’s sovereignty cannot be bought with
such a meagre amount in an agreement which
has no termination point or limit of stay but
litany of benefits to the US.”
“This agreement, in addition, goes [beyond]
Ghana’s Non-aligned diplomatic stance, which
will go a long way to make Ghana’s partners uncomfortable,”
he added.
US denies claim
Meanwhile the United States Embassy in
Ghana has denied reports that the US government
is planning to establish a military base in
the country. .
In a statement copied to the DAILY
HERITAGE, the US explained that “The
current Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA)
between the United States of America and the
Republic of Ghana is approximately 20 years
old. It does not cover the current range and volume
of bilateral exercises and assistance.”
“This year, the United States of America is
investing over $20 million in training and equipment
for the Ghanaian Armed Forces. Ghana is
also once again preparing to train U.S forces –
as it did in 2017. The United States and Ghana
are planning joint security exercises in 2018,
which requires access to Ghanaian bases by US
participants and those from other nations when
included,” the statement read.
Background
The government of Ghana has begun a
process to grant the US military an unrestricted
access to its military facilities. The agreement
will permit the U.S. Military to use Ghana as a
base for staging and deploying forces.
According to the agreement, Ghana will
provide unimpeded access to and use of agreed
facilities and areas to the U.S. forces and contractors.
It also allows U.S. forces and their contractors
to undertake construction activities on
and make alterations and improvements to
agreed facilities and areas.
The U.S. forces are also authorised to control
entry to the facilities meant for the exclusive
use of their forces.