The High Court in Accra on Wednesday adjourned the $2 million Sky train financial loss to the State case against Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi and Solomon Asamoah, former board chairman and CEO of Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), to August 26.
The case was scheduled to commence on July 23, but when it was called before Justice Comfort Tasiame, counsel for the accused, Duke Aaron Sasu, told the court they were not served with disclosures filed by the prosecution.
On June 24, the Office of the Attorney General told the court that it would invite eight witnesses to testify against the accused.
Earlier, the prosecution said it intended to call 12 witnesses, but during proceedings on June 24, Mrs Sefakor Batse, a Chief State Attorney, told the High Court, Accra, that the prosecution would withdraw four witness statements.
On June 11, Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was granted GH¢10 million bail with two sureties.
This was after he pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit crime and willfully causing financial loss to the state, and intentional dissipation of public funds, together with the former GIIF boss, Solomon Asamoah.
As part of the bail condition, the court presided over by Justice Comfort Tasiame, directed that the sureties, justify the landed properties located in Accra.
The sureties must deposit copies of their Ghana Card, whilst Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi is to deposit his passport and report to the investigators once every week.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi, a former Minister of Education, was brought in a wheelchair after he was rushed to the hospital for medical attention.
His counsel, Duke Aaron Sasu, told the court that his client was an 80-year-old distinguished academic and statesman who had devoted over 50 years of his life to public service in Ghana.
He appealed to the court to admit his client to bail, as denying his bail plea would have grave consequences on his health.
“My lady, these health circumstances would make a denial of bail, particularly burdensome and potentially dangerous to his well-being.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, HO
A total of 699 Community Policing Assistants (CPAs) from Volta, Oti and the Eastern regions have started three weeks of training at the Volta Regional Police Training School in Ho.
The training, which is being organised under the auspices of the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), is to effectively equip the trainees with the necessary skills to embark on policing in their communities.
They would be trained in areas such as crime detection, physical training and human rights.
Speaking at the ceremony to mark the official opening of the first batch of trainees, the Volta Regional Police Commander, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Mr Wisdom Akorli, stated that Community Policing Assistants (CPAs) played crucial roles in assisting the police to enforce law and order.
DCOP Akorli stressed that the protection of life and property, and the maintenance of law and order, called for special skills; therefore, the beneficiaries would go through vigorous training to prepare them for the task ahead.
He said it was important for Ghanaians to recognise the role of CPAs, since they contributed to crime prevention efforts by providing timely information and supporting initiatives that enhanced community safety.
DCOP Akorli also indicated that there’s the need for community members to support CPAs as they serve as a bridge between the police and the community.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, reminded the trainees of the need to work hard and serve their communities with the skills they would acquire, and at the same time, protect the image of the police as a distinguished security institution.
Mr Gunu said the value placed on the training programme was high, since many of them had the ambition of becoming police officers, however before they could become police officers, it must be a calling and not just an opportunity for employment.
The Volta Regional Director of the YEA, Mr Daniel Hamenu, emphasised that his outfit was committed to creating more job opportunities for the unemployed youth, adding that the impact of the programme would yield positive results.
BY TIMES REPORTER
THE Ghana Immigration Service, in the early hours of yesterday, arrested 50 Nigerians, including the landlord of the apartment where they allegedly were carrying out illegal activities in a special operation at McCarthy Hills in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
The operation was based on intelligence gathered on the illegal stay of some foreign nationals in the area, some of whom were trafficked into the country and forced into cyber fraud by their facilitators.
The public will be updated in due course on the outcome of the operations after subsequent investigations.
Meanwhile, the GIS has cautioned the public about a fraudulent social media account to which the attention of the GIS Management has been drawn.
The media accounts, especially on Facebook, the GIS said, were falsely impersonating the Comptroller-General of Immigration (CGI), Mr Samuel Basintale Amadu.
According to the Head of Public Affairs of the GIS, Assistant Commissioner of Immigration (ACI), Michael Amoako-Atta, some of these accounts use images of the CGI to mislead the public.
“We wish to state unequivocally that the Comptroller-General of Immigration does not own or operate any Facebook account, and the public is strongly advised not to engage with them,” he cautioned.
The Comptroller-General of Immigration, Mr Samuel Basintale Amadu, completely disassociates himself from any such accounts. Any member of the public who interacts with these fraudulent platforms does so at their own risk.
My client has demonstrated unwavering commitment to this legal process. He has responded to every invitation from the National Investigation Bureau,” he prayed.
The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, prosecuting, did not oppose the bail.
