Trial of ex-Ghanaian Minister, others bounce back
The trial of Stephen Asamoah Boateng, former Minister for Information and National Orientation and eight others including a non-entity, bounced back at an Accra High Court.
This was after the trial Judge, Mr Charles Quist who went leave had resumed work.
When the case was called, a defence counsel Mr Augustines Obuor, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable him to study the over 100- page record of proceedings handed over to him today.
According to Mr Obour, he needed time to go through the record of proceedings to enable him to cross-examine Mr. Godfred Agyepong, Head of Audit at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
The court obliged to defence’ submissions and adjourned the matter to October 19.
The other accused persons are Zuleika Asamoah-Boateng, the wife of ex-minister Kofi Asamoah-Boateng, a former Director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Information, Mr. Frank Agyekum, a former Deputy Information Minister, Kwabena Denkyira, a former Deputy Director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry.
The rest are Mr. Dominic A. Y. Sampong, a former acting Chief Director at the Ministry, Yasmin Domua, a Manageress, Prosper Arku of Supreme Procurement Agency Limited, and the company as an entity.
The accused are standing trial over GH¢86,915.85 renovation works done at the Ministry of Information.
They were charged with conspiracy, contravention of the Procurement Act, attempt to defraud, altering document and deceit of public officer. They have all denied the offences.
They have been admitted to bail in the sum of GH¢10,000 with a surety each.
In another development, the same court had adjourned the case of Adamu Daramani, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central to October 29 pending the outcome of appeal filed at the Court of Appeal.
The MP had gone to the Court of Appeal to appeal against the High Court’s decision which directed that the state could recall a witness in his nationality trial if it wished to do so.
The High Court trying Daramani for perjury, forgery of passport, election fraud and deceiving public officers to be elected as an MP on June 8, this year granted the prosecution leave to recall a witness if it wished to do so in order to clarify what it termed ambiguity arising from the MP’s evidence and documents from the National Security Secretariat (NSS) which said the MP had not renounced his British nationality status before contesting the seat.
Mr Yonny Kulendi counsel for Daramani had argued that it was wrong for the court to direct the prosecution to recall a witness months after the prosecution had closed its case and especially when it had not made such a request.
According to the defence, the trial judge assumed the role of a lawyer when he directed the prosecution to recall a witness if it so wished.
On July 31, 2009 the MP was arraigned and charged with nine counts relating to his nationality, perjury, forgery of passport, election fraud and deceiving public officers to be elected as an MP, but he was exonerated on six of those charges on July 8, 2010.
He is currently facing three charges of false declaration of office or voting, perjury and deceiving a public officer.
Source: GNA