VAT withdraws case against "Good Mark" Chopbar

Sunyani (B/A) July 13, GNA - The court case involving VAT Service and Mrs. Josephine Brobbey, Proprietress of "Good Mark" chop bar in Sunyani took a dramatic turn on Wednesday when the Service withdrew the case for settlement out of court.

A petition for the withdrawal from the Service addressed to Mr.Justice G. H. K. Debrah, Presiding Judge and signed by Mrs. Lydia Nana Attakora-Amoo, Regional Head of VAT Service was shown to the court. It stated: "The management of the VAT Service wishes that the case involving the VAT Service and 'Goodmark' Chop Bar, on the latter's registration for VAT be settled out of court.

"They have, therefore, instructed me (Head of VAT Sunyani) to approach you and have the case withdrawn from the court for amicable settlement.

"I will therefore be very grateful if the case is struck off the list of cases for court on July 13, 2005".

Responding to the petition, Justice Debrah said the court had not received the petition but information from a credible source had indicated the concern of the petition to the court.

"Since the petition is coming from the complainant, the court has no option but oblige them their request", he said. He noted that the petition had no time limit for the request, indicating that the court would not fix any time limit for their reporting back of the case.

Justice Debrah asked the VAT Service to inform the court of the outcome of the 'out of court' settlement. "In our bid to disagree, the ultimate aim is to agree for a good or concern purpose and that must be in the cardinal principle of the matter", he added.

The court therefore adjourned the case sine die. The case had generated so much tension that the regional police command decided to mobilize about 100 policemen to maintain order at the court's precincts following a threat by members of the Ghana Traditional Caterers Association to storm the court in solidarity with Mrs. Josephine Brobbey.

As if they had been informed earlier about the withdrawal of the case, no significant number of policemen were seen at the court's precincts.

Mr. Asomah Kyeremeh, counsel for the accused, explained that the court room was a public place and that no number of security personnel at the premises of the court would deter the public from coming to the court.

Nana Asare Bediako, Regional Task Force Officer of the Association, when contacted said the Association had decided to make the national executives aware of the withdrawal of the case but could not talk about the next action of the case.