Stories that were mostly read on GhanaWeb in 2019 involved these personalities
From politics to crime, religion to regional, education to health, GhanaWeb has served readers with the best content in the year.
Both good and bad news were reported by the site and some stories were loved by readers whilst others were not so loved.
As the year draws to an end, we give back to our readers the stories
Read full articlethat received the highest readership on the site in the year.
Owusu Bempah predicts Mahama, Bawumia’s death
Known for his 31st night tall list of prophecies, leader and Founder of Glorious Word Ministry, Rev. Isaac Owusu Bempah, among other things at the last crossover service in his church prophesied that former President John Mahama and current Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia were not going to see the end of 2019.
He claimed the former president was going to be killed by his own people.
Rev Owusu Bempah is identified by some Ghanaians as part of the prophets of doom in the country because most of his prophecies causes fear and panic.
However, the year is almost ended, and the two statesmen are still very much alive. The nation can keep praying and hoping that they cross over into 2020 safe and alive.
Read the story below
John Mahama, Bawumia will die this year - Rev. Owusu Bempah
NAM1 arrested in Dubai
News of the CEO of Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah’s arrest in Dubai broke in January 2019.
He was detained in Dubai before Christmas, months after his company’s operation in Ghana was seized by the Securities Exchange Commission.
A warrant for his arrest was issued by a circuit court in Accra on 9 January after he failed to pay back monies owed to investors in his failed company.
The government of Ghana had brought huge pressure on Ghana's law-enforcement agencies and financial regulators to bring the failed company boss to book.
Sources inside Interpol revealed at the time that the NAM1 was arrested following a complaint by a gold dealer who alleges that he has been duped by the Ghanaian.
The Dubai dealer reported that his company, Horizon Royal Diamonds DMCC, had attempted to close a deal with Just Gold Ltd, a Ghanaian firm, involving 750 kilos of gold. The deal, believed to be worth US$51 million, went wrong.
Read the full story here again
Menzgold CEO, NAM1 arrested in Dubai
Murder of Ghana Ports Top Manager
The Marketing and Public Affairs Manager of the Ghana Ports and Harbours, Josephine Asante, was murdered in cold blood earlier in the year.
Josephine Asante of Tema Ports was reported to have been trailed by her murderers into her home at Community 25 in Tema where they had access to her bedroom and murdered her with a knife.
Her blood-bathed body was found in her bedroom where the murderers had locked it and threw the key into the main compound and bolted unseen.
Her children broke down the door to find her dead in a pool of blood after they were unable to reach her in the morning.
Top Manager of Ghana Ports tortured and murdered after Senior Staff Party
Violence mars Ayawaso West Wuogon by-election
The January 31 by-election at the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency turned bloody when gunshots were fired at the La Bawaleshie polling station by some operatives of the National Security.
Four people were reportedly shot following an impasse over the polls.
The chaos was triggered by some individuals suspected to belong to a vigilante group associated with the NDC while others say they belong rather to the ruling NPP.
Ayawaso by-election: Four reportedly shot at Baweleshie
Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George, who was a polling agent for the NDC, was assaulted by a National Security operative in the mist of the chaos.
A video footage showed the MP being heckled and attacked by the gun-wielding masked men.
NDC MP Sam George slapped, beaten during Ayawaso by-election
Ofosu-Ampofo leaked tape
The National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Samuel Ofosu Ampofo came under fire after the emergence of an audio recording of a meeting at the party’s headquarters.
The audio, which has been authenticated by NDC Communication member, Kwaku Boahen, exposed plans of some party stalwarts and sympathizers against some members of the ruling party, the Clergy and the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Jean Mensah.
In the said tape, Ofosu Ampofo confirmed that the NDC vigilante group, Azorka boys were bused from Tamale to Ayawaso West Wuogon to cause mayhem, but they were repelled by the Kandahar Boys from Tamale who had been recruited by national security.
Ofosu Ampofo, Alfred Ogbamey, others exposed over dirty plot ahead of 2020
Some months later, sources within the NDC revealed that a female lawmaker was behind the leaked tape.
The party’s security details at the headquarters and officials of the IT Department zeroed on her but action wasn’t taken against her on the basis that Mr. Ofosu Ampofo himself denied contents on the tape at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).
According to the party’s sources, the lawmaker is a former appointee of the Mills/Mahama administration and was in charge of one of the state institutions while currently serving as a member of the functional executive committee of the party.
She is reported to have commissioned one of the NDC boys to do the recording and afterwards leaked it to some high profile person within the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) after being promised they could facilitate her winning the next primaries and also retaining her seat in parliament.
Following the leakage and subsequent finger-pointing, she reportedly ceased attending Functional Executive Committee meetings as well as being excluded from NDC caucus meetings.
NDC MP who recorded and leaked Ofosu Ampofo’s tape named
Female police constable nude video goes viral
A female police officer went into hiding after a video of her stripping was leaked.
The about five minutes and fifty seconds video believed to have been recorded in the bedroom of the junior officer with a mobile phone, reveals her stripping herself and setting the camera towards where she stood in order to be well captured.
Even though the person the video was intended for wasn’t known, it is believed that her male colleagues were responsible for leaking it.
Female police constable sex tape goes viral
Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale face-off at 2019 VGMAs
This year’s Vodafone Ghana Music Awards put Ghana on the world news for all the wrong reasons.
Aside what patrons describe as poor organisation, the turf war between Shatta Wale and Stonebwoy went on a whole new level when the latter pulled out a gun on stage, ready to fight.
This happened when Shatta Wale and his militants rushed onto the stage when Stonebwoy was about to receive his award for Reggae/Dancehall Artiste of the Year.
Afraid of what could happen, Stonebwoy quickly pulled out a gun.
The security officials at the Dome started spraying the patrons of the award with pepper spray and the guests at the VIP stand were quickly rushed out.
The show was temporarily put on hold amidst the pandemonium in the Dome and some of the patrons started leaving the auditorium when the chaos started.
Shatta Wale, however, said he only went on stage to congratulate is colleague and not pick up a fight.
The two are currently facing charges in court over the incident.
Even though they two were further stripped of their respective awards from this year’s event as well as banned from participating in the awards, something good came out of it all, as the two finally united.
2019 VGMAs: Stonebwoy pulls gun on stage to fight Shatta Wale
Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale case stalls
Stonebwoy, Shatta Wale meet to resolve VGMA fracas
Women can be jailed for denying husbands sex
In July, many women were shocked to hear that denying their husbands sex could earn them a jail term of two years or to a fine of 500 penalty units which is equivalent to GH¢6,000 or both.
Central Regional Coordinator of the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU), George Appiah-Sakyi who made this known, encouraged husbands to report their wives to the police for the law to deal with them.
He however revealed that the law is also applicable to men who may deny their wives sex encouraging such emotionally abused women to also lodge complaints with the police.
You can be jailed for 2 years for denying your husbands sex - Police warn wives
Missing Takoradi girls confirmed dead
After over a year of the disappearance of the first victim, the three Takoradi girls reported missing in 2018 were confirmed dead in September.
The confirmation came a month after the police retrieved human remains from a septic tank in a property previously occupied by the key suspect in the kidnapping of the three girls and another one whose case didn’t receive must prominence.
A DNA test carried out on the human parts confirmed that of the four girls.
The confirmation was made by then acting Inspector General of Police, James Oppong Boanuh.
“A few minutes ago, officers of the Ghana Police service informed 4 families in Takoradi in the Western Region of Ghana that DNA test conducted on some human remains discovered into the course of police investigations into the disappearance 4 missing girls have turned positive, as the remains of the girls. The Ghana Police service has with regret informed the families that the remains of Ruth Abakah, Priscilla Kuranchie, Ruth Love Quayson, Priscilla Blessing Bentum.”
The Police also added that further investigations revealed that the girls were victims of a “serial kidnapping and murdering syndicate that operated in the Takoradi area.”
Decomposing bodies of 3 kidnapped Takoradi girls found
Four missing Takoradi girls confirmed dead
More than 70 passengers dead in Tamale-Kintampo accident
Road accident is not a new story in Ghana but the report of over 70 passengers on board two buses dying in a head-on collision in March shook many to the core.
The accident which occurred on the Tamale-Kintampo involved a VVIP Kia bus with registration number GT 3915- 17 from Garu in the Upper East Region heading towards Kumasi and a Grandbird bus with registration number GT 5694-18 from Accra which was heading towards Bolgantaga also in the Upper East Region.
It is unclear what might have caused the collision, but it was speculated that one of the drivers might have been dozing off and run into the lane of the other from the opposite direction.
More than 70 passengers dead in Tamale-Kintampo accident
