Latest news with #publicoffice
Al Jazeera
4 days ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Interpol red notice issued for Ghana's former finance minister
Ghana's former finance minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, has been placed on Interpol's red notice list after allegedly using public office for personal gain. Ofori-Atta, whose location remains unclear as he reportedly seeks medical treatment, is being investigated over a string of high-profile contracts relating to petroleum revenues, electricity supply and ambulance procurement. He is also under investigation over a controversial national cathedral project that swallowed tens of millions of dollars in public money yet remains little more than a hole in the ground. The red notice – a request to police worldwide to detain a suspect pending extradition – was issued four days after Ghana's Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) re-declared the 65-year-old a wanted person after he failed to appear for a scheduled interrogation. The OSP insists Ofori-Atta must appear in person, rejecting requests from his legal team for a virtual session on medical grounds. The prosecutor's notice, published by the state-run Ghana News Agency on Monday, stated a number of possible locations, including the United States, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Guyana, Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands. 'We will not countenance this conduct, not in this case,' Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng told local media on Monday. Frank Davies, a member of Ofori-Atta's legal team, was cited by the news agency AFP as saying medical records had been submitted 'in good faith', but that 'the office has chosen to ignore them'. 'The special prosecutor is not being sensitive to the issues at hand, especially knowing that Mr Ofori-Atta is unwell and receiving treatment,' said Davies on Friday. The new administration of President John Mahama has been on the heels of former government appointees to account for their tenure in office. The attorney general is currently building 33 cases of corruption and related offences against former government appointees. Ofori-Atta served as former President Nana Akufo-Addo's finance minister for seven years.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
MacShane decides against another term on Frederick City Council
Frederick City Council Member Ben MacShane said he is not running for reelection this year, but is not ruling out running for a third term on the council or another public office in the future. MacShane said he wants the council to have fresh perspectives. Nine people are currently running for seven City Council positions and two are running for mayor. The filing deadline for candidates for mayor and City Council is July 1. Council Member Donna Kuzemchak has also said she is not running. The council is set to expand this year to seven members from its current five. Candidates The candidates for Frederick City Council, with links to their profiles. This means the council would have at least four new members following the general election in November. Currently, all five members of the City Council represent the city at large. However, after elections there will be seven council members. Five will represent districts and two will be at large representatives. This is due to the then-Board of Aldermen approving a new charter in September 2024. Mayor Michael O'Connor has filed to run for a third term. He is challenged by fellow Democrat Ron Beattie, a former city planning commissioner. District 1 encompasses an area in the west part of the city, north of the Golden Mile area. Only current City Council President Katie Nash, a Democrat, has filed to run in District 1. District 2 is the area around the Golden Mile in the southwest portion of the city. Only immigrant advocate César Díaz, a Democrat, has filed to run in the district. District 3 is made up mostly of the downtown area. Peter Brehm, the treasurer for The Frederick Center, which serves the LGBTQ+ communities, and Wag's Restaurant co-owner Dave Schmidt — both Democrats — have both filed to run in the district. District 4 contains the northern part of downtown and the northeastern portion of the city. Only Joe Adkins, a former deputy director of the Frederick Planning Department, has filed for the district. Adkins is currently the only Republican to have filed. District 5 includes the northwestern part of the city. Sculptor Sarah Hempel Irani, a Democrat, is the lone candidate who has filed for the district. Incumbents Derek Shackelford and Kelly Russell and Medicaid policy analyst Libby Taylor — all Democrats — have all filed to run for the council's two at-large seats. The primary election is scheduled for Sept. 9 and the general election is scheduled for Nov. 4.
CBC
29-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
B.C. MLAs banned from holding municipal office after bill passes
A new law passed on Tuesday bans B.C. MLAs from concurrently holding office in local governments, such as serving on a council, a school or park board or as a mayor. The Eligibility to Hold Public Office Act is expected to receive royal assent and become law on Thursday. Any MLAs will be removed from their local elected office as of that day. Misty Van Popta serves as both the Conservative MLA for Langley-Walnut Grove and a councillor for the Township of Langley. "The fact that this bill is effective immediately means that it's a targeted attack, and it's disappointing," said Van Popta on Wednesday. "As an MLA, I have been here the 14 hours a day just like everyone else. I'm clearly doing this job 100 per cent." Van Popta said in her municipality, being a councillor is a part-time position, and many of her co-councillors have separate full-time jobs. The bill was brought forward by Esquimalt-Colwood MLA Darlene Rotchford, supported by the NDP and Greens and opposed by the Conservatives. "MLAs should be focused on their work in the legislature, not splitting their time and focus while collecting two taxpayer-funded salaries," said Rotchford in a Wednesday news release. Rotchford says she resigned her seat on Esquimalt council when she became an MLA. "I love the people in my community and ran for this full-time job to represent and support them." Denis Pilon, a politics professor at York University, said there is already a law in place to prevent politicians from holding federal and provincial seats, so it is logical that the law should also apply to municipal positions. "You can't hold two positions at once and do justice to both. And you certainly can't do justice to the people who need the representation you're supposed to be providing," Pilon said.
Telegraph
23-05-2025
- Telegraph
Prison officer accused of ‘affairs with two inmates' facing trial
She appeared at Southwark Crown Court charged with two counts of misconduct in a public office in relation to the relationship with Sharif and Money. The first charge alleges she 'wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted' herself in 'an abuse of the public's trust' by having an 'inappropriate sexual relationship' with inmate Sharif. The second misconduct charge alleges she had a sexual relationship with Money between Sept 1, 2021 and Dec 31, 2022. Dale is charged with conspiring together with Sharif, Lilea Sallis and others to bring controlled drugs into Swaleside. She appeared in court in a black blazer on Friday, and was granted bail ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing on June 6 at the same court.
BBC News
20-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Jamie Bryson and Daithí McKay appear at 'Nama trial'
Loyalist activist Jamie Bryson and former Sinn Féin assembly member Daithí McKay have appeared together in the dock as the so-called "Nama trial" got under Crown Court heard that the case against the men, as well as Sinn Féin member Thomas O'Hara, concerned an attempt to cause "significant embarrassment" to the then first minister Peter Robinson and McKay is accused of committing misconduct in public office, which he Bryson, 35, from Rosepark, Donaghadee and Mr O'Hara, 40, from Lisnahunshin Road, Cullybackey, both deny conspiring to commit misconduct in public office. The case dates back to September 2015 and a hearing of the assembly's finance committee, which was investigating Northern Ireland property loans by the National Asset Management Agency (Nama).Mr McKay, 43, from Loughan Road, Dunnamanagh, was chair of the committee at the time. He denies misconduct by manipulating the presentation of evidence to the Bryson gave evidence to the committee. During an opening statement, Toby Hedworth KC said it was the prosecution's case that by engaging in "subterfuge" to allow Mr Bryson to make allegations that did not adhere to the committee's terms of reference, Mr McKay was "wilfully misconducting himself to such a degree to amount to abuse of public trust".This was done, he said, "without reasonable excuse or justification".Mr Hedworth said Mr McKay had "contrived" how Mr Bryson's evidence would be given in public session when it should have been in private, and when he had knowledge of what was going to be said."There was conspiracy to allow that to happen, with Mr O'Hara being a vital and knowing cog in the wheel," he added.
