Ghanaian Times

Reporting on the death sentence passed by an Accra High Court on four persons, the Ghanaian Times in a front page lead story, says four people were yesterday sentenced to death by an Accra High Court for attempting to overthrow the government in August, 1994. The paper names the four who were convicted for treason as Alexander Offei, a technician, Kwame Ofori- Appiah, a cleaner, Sylvester Addae-Dwomoh, a teacher and John Boakye, a student. It says the court acquitted and discharged Emmanuel Osei Kofi, a driver, for lack of evidence because from the circumstances of the case, his guilt could not be established.

The court is reported to have described Osei Kofi as a "witness of truth, a simple-minded illiterate driver who fell into an unfortunate group". The Times says after he had been freed Osei Kofi bowed, knelt down with hands raised and uttered some silent prayers, while the convicts remained sad and worried.

The paper says Mr Justice P.K. Owusu-Sekyere who read the judgement, said the defence of the accused could not be true in the face of overwhelming and credible evidence adduced by the prosecution.