The trial of the former First Lady, Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings and five others in connection with the alleged fraudulent divesture of GIHOC Nsawam Cannery to 31st December Women’s Movement (DWM) resumes today at an Accra Fast-Track High Court. This was after Konadu’s application for a stay of proceedings or for the charges to be dropped, pending the final determination of a civil suit she has filed against the Divesture Implementation Committee (DIC) and the Attorney-General (A-G), was thrown out for the second time, shattering her hopes of a legal reprieve.
It remains to be seen whether the former First Lady, who vowed to appeal against the ruling when her first application was rejected by Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, would now appeal against the ruling of Justice Richard Acquaye, the new Judge presiding over the matter.Justice Acqyaye, just like Justice Baffoe-Bonnie, now an Appeals Court Judge, noted that in matters where civil and criminal cases were involved, criminal cases took precedence. About 15 fresh charges, including stealing and obtaining public property by false statement to the tune of ¢9.2 billion, against the accused persons were substituted with the initial 30 charges.
Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of DIC and Thomas Benson Owusu, an accountant, who were the first and second accused persons in the trial, have been charged with seven counts of conspiracy to commit crime and stealing. Agbodo, Kwame Peprah, former Finance Minister and Chairman of DIC; Hanny Sherry Ayittey, Director of Caridem and Nana Konadu have also been charged with four counts of causing loss to public property to the tune of over ¢9.2 billion, and using false statements to obtain public property. Konadu, Sherry and Caridem were again charged with conspiracy to alter false documents and altering false documents to which they pleaded not guilty.
Source: PFM
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