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State withdraws old case against NAM1, slaps him with fresh charges
In a significant development in the case against Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM1), the Chief Executive Officer of the defunct gold dealership company Menzgold, the state attorney has withdrawn all previous charges against him. Instead, new charges have been filed in the court today, November 17, 2023.
The Director of Prosecution, Yvonne Atakora, explained that an amendment had been made to some of the figures (amounts involved) in the case, necessitating the filing of new charges.
She further stated that this decision was made in the best interest of justice.
This adjournment was requested by NAM1’s legal team and agreed upon by the state attorney.
Meanwhile, the presiding judge has instructed the court administration to enhance security measures at the court entrance.
This directive follows a request from NAM1’s lawyers, who reported that their Public Relations Officer (PRO) was struck on the forehead after the previous court hearing.
The courtroom was packed to capacity with security personnel both inside and outside the premises.
Aggrieved customers of the company have been clamouring for the release of their funds after Menzgold suspended operations in 2018. The company has since been accused of running a Ponzi scheme.
Nana Appiah Mensah is currently on trial for allegedly defrauding over 16,000 people of GH¢1.68 billion.
The government earlier denied claims by NAM1 that he deposited GH¢5 million at the Ghana Police Service.
NAM1 in a statement indicated that an amount of GH¢5 million had been handed over to the Ghana Police Service on October 20 to be distributed to customers of the collapsed firm.
But answering questions on the floor of Parliament earlier this week, the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, disclosed that only GH¢2.5 million was received from NAM1 and not the reported GH¢5 million.
“The record I have before me indicates that an amount of GH¢2.5 million was paid, so the claim of GH¢5 million having been paid to the Ghana Police Service is untrue. It was only GH¢2.5 million that was paid to the Ghana Police Service by the accused person.”
The Ghana Police Service has subsequently deposited the money with the Bank of Ghana.
Source : Citinewsroom.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
