The High Court, trying the two-million-dollar Sky Train case involving former chairperson of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi and former CEO of GIIF, Solomon Asamoah, have been informed of a medical emergency concerning the second accused, Professor Ameyaw Akumfi.
Defence lawyer, Duke Aaron Sasu on Tuesday morning, told the court, lawyers for the former GIIF chairperson informed the prosecution that he was rushed to the ward Tuesday dawn.
Prof Ameyaw Akumfi, and Solomon Asamoah were formally charged on Thursday, May 13, for allegedly causing financial loss to the state in the two-million-dollar “Sky Train” project.
The court, on Thursday May 13, charged the two, with six counts of conspiracy to commit crime, willfully causing financial loss to the Republic, contrary to provisions of the and Criminal Offenses Act 1960 (Act 29) and Intentional dissipation of public funds, contrary to provisions of the Public Property Protection Decree,1977 (SMCD 140).
The first accused, Solomon Asamoah, has pleaded not guilty to all the charges and has been granted bail in the sum of fifteen million Ghana cedi payable should he violate his bail conditions. The accused is however, still in custody, because he has not been able to meet his bail terms.
Meanwhile, Prof Ameyaw, who was unable to appear in court on Thursday, because he was said to be receiving treatment at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, after undergoing surgery. His plea was adjourned to May 20. But, in court, Duke Aaron Sasu, lawyer for Prof. Akumfi, told the court the defence team was informed his client was rushed to the emergency ward on Tuesday morning but would be available by Friday, May 23.
He added that he would make arrangements for the hospital report to be made available to the court. Justice Comfort Tasiame observed that it appears Prof Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi was only rushed to the hospital on the day the case was coming on, observing that a similar report was made in court last Thursday, when the court was informed that the accused underwent surgery.
Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Serm Sai, concurred with the court’s observation, stating that while the prosecution does not impute any wrongdoing, he questioned why Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi is consistently rushed to the hospital on the mornings of court proceedings.
Dr. Sai noted that Friday, May 23, was not far away and that on that day, the prosecution would make a prayer to the court on how the prosecution intends to move forward with the second accused person.
Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi and Mr Asamoah allegedly authorised the payment of two million dollars to Africa Investor Holdings Limited in February 2019 for the development of an urban Sky Train system in Accra to be called Accra SkyTrain but the project was never executed.
Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai narrated that due diligence to procedures or processes was not followed or engaged by GIIF prior to parting with the two million dollars. The Deputy Attorney-General said investigations revealed that no Board approval was sought or obtained for the share acquisition or the two million dollars.
The court heard that in his caution statement to the police, Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi allegedly claimed that he obtained the approval of the GIIF governing board in respect of the share acquisition and the payment.
The said claim has allegedly been refuted by the other members of the governing board in their respective police investigation caution statements.
The case continues on Monday to May 26, where the court is expected to take the plea of the accused person.
