Tuesday, May 11, 2010 (Page 3 Lead)
FIVE persons accused of causing financial loss related to the sale of Ghana Airways (GA) and the operations of Ghana International Airline (GIA) have filed a motion praying the Financial Division of the High Court to order the state to furnish them with relevant documents on the case.
The accused persons — Dr Richard Anane, a former Minister of Transport; Mr Kwadwo Mpiani, a former Chief of Staff and Minister for Presidential Affairs; Dr Anthony Akoto Osei, a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning; Mr Sammy Crabbe, a former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), and Prof. Gyan-Baffour — are praying for an order directed at the Attorney-General to furnish them with all documents and exhibits the prosecution intends to rely on during their trial.
Counsel for the accused persons filed the motion under Article 19 (2e) of the 1992 Constitution, which states that “a person charged with criminal offence shall be given adequate time and facilities for the preparation of his defence”.
However, the state has opposed the motion on the grounds that the accused persons were being tried summarily and for that reason, they were not entitled to have access to the documents.
At the court’s sitting in Accra yesterday, it emerged that the state had responded to the defence team’s motion of which the defence needed to reply to.
Accordingly, the court granted a week’s adjournment because the defence team had not been sufficiently served with the processes. The defence also needed ample time to appropriately respond to the state’s affidavit in opposition.
Dr Anane, Mpiani, Crabbe and Prof Gyan-Baffour were present. Dr Akoto Osei was absent because the court had granted him permission to attend a conference outside the jurisdiction.
The accused persons variously face 22 counts of causing financial loss to the state, defrauding by false pretences, conspiracy to deceive public officers, deceit of public officer, misappropriation of public funds, opening an offshore account without authorisation from the Bank of Ghana (BoG), conspiracy to commit stealing and stealing.
They have pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court, presided over by Mr Justice Bright Mensah, has granted them self-recognisance bail.
Four other accused persons whose names have not been furnished to the court are said to be outside the jurisdiction and are currently on the run.
NPP stalwarts including the NPP flag bearer for the 2008 presidential polls, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, were present in court to offer their solidarity to the accused persons.
Also present were the Second Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Professor Mike Oquaye; a former Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Kofi Konadu Apraku; a former Minister of the Greater Accra Region, Sheikh I. C. Quaye, as well as a host of former government officials.
The supporters of the accused persons chanted in excitement when they spotted the accused persons and other party stalwarts emerge from the courtroom.
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