Court orders accused in NCA trial to open their defence

An Accra High Court on Thursday ordered Eugene Baffoe Bonnie, the former Board Chair of the National Communications Authority (NCA) and four others to open their defence in the trial.

The others are Matthew William Tetteh Tevie, the former Director-General, NCA, Nana Owusu Ensaw, a former board member, Alhaji Osman Mimina, former Deputy National Security Coordinator and George Derick Oppong, Managing Director of Infraclock Limited (IDL).

They are expected to do so on May 30, 2019.

The order follows the dismissal of a submission of no case filed by lawyers of the five accused persons, when the State closed it case.

According to the court presided over by justice Eric Kyei Baffour the prosecution has been able to establish a prima facie case against all the accused persons.

He cited authorities and evidence adduced in court to support the court’s decision, which he said the accused persons, except Oppong were public officers at the time the alleged offences were committed.

He said the prosecution led sufficient evidence to merit the ruling of the court to invite the accused persons to open their defence.

However, the court discharged four counts namely conspiracy, willfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit and intentionally misapplying public property leveled against Owusu Ensaw.

All the accused are being held for wilfully causing financial loss to the State.

Other charges include conspiracy, using public office for profit; stealing, money laundering and intentionally misapplying public property.

They are in court over the purchase of a Pegasus machine at a cost of $8 million, which could not function.

All the accused persons have denied the charges and are currently on bail.

Source: GNA