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Aggrieved Menzgold customers call for swift prosecution of NAM 1
Menzgold customers nationwide are demanding swift legal action against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the now-defunct Menzgold Company, Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM1).
In a statement issued on Tuesday, January 9, the Coalition of Aggrieved Customers of Menzgold Ghana firmly endorsed the efforts of the Attorney General, Minister of Justice, and Director of Public Prosecutions in seeking justice for Menzgold customers.
“We fully support the decision by the Attorney General, Minister of Justice, and Director of Public Prosecutions to pursue justice for MenzGold customers.”
The aggrieved customers also underscored the importance of Nana Appiah Mensah making the Dubai judgment public, stating that it is a “public document.”
Mr Appiah Mensah has been charged with 36 counts of offences including abetment, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on deposit-taking business without license, unlawful deposit-taking, money laundering among others.
The Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame commenced the prosecution of NAM 1 in 2019 where he was accused of defrauding thousands of customers through his gold dealership firm over millions of cedis.
On Wednesday, August 30, 2023, Mr Dame revised the charges against the CEO of the now-defunct Menzgold gold trading enterprise, introducing fresh allegations.
The new charges come after Mr Mensah announced plans to release locked-up funds to Menzgold customers after a payment of roughly GH₵650 for verification.
Mr Mensah was released on bail on September 19, 2023, after pleading not guilty to the 39 counts of fraud and money laundering.
The bail conditions were pegged at GH¢500 million and four sureties. He also had to surrender his passport to the court registry.
However, on September 20, 2023, the Deputy Attorney General, Alfred Tuah Yeboah applied for daily hearing in the case.
He said this would be done during the case management stage and prayed the court to grant the same. According to him, this is due to the nature of the public interest expressed in the prosecution.
“We are of the humble opinion that this is a matter that we must apply to the courts for an expedited hearing, so, at the case management, we will put up that application and request to the court, subject to the court’s convenience, to have this matter heard on a daily basis.”
Source: Myjoyonline.com
Ghana’s First Lady, Lordina Mahama, has made a generous donation to the country’s national female Under-17 and Under-20 teams – Black Maidens and Black Princesses- as they continue preparations for major international assignments.
The donation, made on Friday, May 22, was presented on behalf of the First Lady by the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, at the GFA Technical Centre in Prampram.
The gesture forms part of efforts to motivate and support Ghana’s young female footballers as they prepare to represent the country on the international stage.
The donation included essential food items and toiletries aimed at supporting the welfare and well-being of the players and technical teams.
The donation included cartons of Milo, T-rolls, soft drinks, toiletries, and a range of essential supplies aimed at supporting the welfare of the players, enhancing camp conditions, and easing preparations ahead of their respective assignments.
The Black Maidens are currently engaged in preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup qualifiers and are set to take on Liberia women’s national under-17 football team in the second-leg encounter in Liberia this weekend.
Meanwhile, the Black Princesses have already secured qualification to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup after overcoming Uganda in the qualifiers, extending Ghana’s remarkable record to eight consecutive appearances at the tournament.
The donation by the First Lady was expected to boost morale within both camps while reinforcing national support for the young female footballers who continue to make the country proud.
The prosecution has officially rested its case in The Republic v Solomon Asamoah & Another, the high-profile legal battle commonly referred to as the “Sky Train” case.
The Deputy Attorney General Justice Srem Sai announced the development, praising the state’s team of hard-working prosecutors for successfully anchoring the state’s evidence before the High Court.
The criminal trial centers on the former Chief Executive Officer and the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
The duo stands accused of illegally authorizing and paying out US$2 million to a foreign company without obtaining board directives or other mandatory statutory approvals.
State investigators have confirmed that the disbursed millions cannot be found.
Following the closure of the prosecution’s case, the accused persons moved the court for an opportunity to file a submission of no case.
The presiding judge granted the application, ordering the defense to submit their arguments by June 8.
The outcome of the June 8 filings will decide the fate of the trial:
With this, if the judge finds the defense’s submission convincing, the accused will be acquitted and discharged however, If the judge dismisses the submission, the court will order the accused officials to take the stand and explain why they should not face prison sentences.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
