Jujuman rapes housewife

Goaso (B/A), March 17, GNA - A circuit court in Goaso has sentenced a 37 year-old self-styled juju man, Alhaji Abonyere, to 15 years imprisonment in hard labour for sexually assaulting a housewife. The convict pleaded guilty.

Chief Inspector Isaac Asomani Frimpong told the court that the victim was a nursing mother who lived with the husband at Sereguso in the Western Region while Abonyere also lived with his two wives at Camp 15 in the region.

He said in January the victim, who was suffering from menstrual disorder, was accompanied by her husband to the convict for herbal treatment.

The prosecutor said the convict demanded GHC 2.00 and a cock as consultation fee for the treatment and placed the housewife on treatment.

On February 3 when she reported to the convict for treatment Abonyere invited her into his room and asked her to obey all his instructions or she would go mad.

Abonyere then stripped the woman half naked and smeared the stomach with black powder.

Abonyere again removed the underwear of the housewife and put a talisman around her waist after which he asked her to bend down and continue to stir a calabash containing the blood of a fowl with a finger till he asked her to stop. Chief Inspector Frimpong said as she did so Abonyere inserted his penis into her vagina and sexually assaulted her. The prosecutor said the housewife returned home in tears and narrated the incident to the husband who reported the matter to the police who arrested Abonyere. 1

Dagbon celebrates "Damba" Festival

Tamale, March 17, GNA - The Chief and people of Tamale on Monday celebrated their annual "Damba" festival in pump and pageantry. The occasion saw a colourful display of Dagbon culture as the chiefs rode on horses amidst drumming and dancing. Dakpema Naa Mohammed Alhassan Dawuni (chief of Tamale) who addressed the crowd called on the government to implement agricultural policies that would attract the youth into farming and help reduce unemployment in the country.

He said the government should pursue policies that include the provision of agricultural machinery and loans to farmers. He said the agricultural policies should also be linked to the establishment of marketing centres at the regional and district levels to ensure that farmers had ready market for their produce. Dakpema Naa Mohammed Alhassan Dawuni appealed to the government to provide more educational facilities in the region and also motivate teachers to give off their best to ensure effective teaching and learning in schools.

He said he would soon launch a Dakpema Educational Fund to assist needy but brilliant students especially girls to get quality education. Touching on the recent rainstorm that hit the Tamale Metropolis and ripped off the roofs of some buildings, he appealed to the government to come to the aid of the affected persons. The chief urged landlords to cultivate the culture of maintenance and plant trees around their houses to serve as wind breaks to protect them from destruction by the storms. 17 March 09