State prosecutors have been directed to file and serve Alhaji Collins Dauda and four others with all processes, disclosures and witness statements with three weeks.
The former Minister of Works and Housing Alhaji Collins Dauda and the four others have been charged for among other things causing financial loss in the Saglemi Affordable Housing project.
In court on Wednesday, January 26, 2022, the prosecution led by Hilda Craig, a Senior State Attorney told the court that, they have filed some disclosures this morning and will need three weeks to conclude on the filing.
“We filed some of the disclosures this morning (Wednesday) and that of the accused persons will be served on them or their counsel hopefully by close of day, today (Wednesday,” the Senior State Attorney told the court.
“We still have some few documents to file and we are appealing to the court to grant us a three-week adjournment subject to the court’s convenience for us to conclude the filing of our disclosures,” Hilda Craig added.
Piece mail disclosures
Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, one of the defence lawyers argued that, the prosecution should be given enough to avoid qhat he described as “piece mail disclosures.”
“My lady, my learned friend just intimated to the court that, they have filed some disclosures this morning and therefore wants us to come back in three weeks time,” he remarked.
According to counsel, in order “to avoid the situation of piece mail disclosures, we are praying the court to accomodate the Republic to the ending of March so that, they can have to avoid piece mail disclosures.
He added that, “we are praying that, the prosecution will be given up to the end of March so that they can put all their cases together so that once we start the case management l, we are much aware of the nature of accusation against us.”
He told the couet that, as counsel “We are interested in providing quality legal representation to our clients and assisting the court.”
The Criminal Division of the Accra High Court presided over by Her Ladyship Justice El-Freda Dankyi after listening to the parties said, the prosecution should ensure that, the disclosure documents are served on the defence within three weeks.
EIB Network’s Court Correspondent Murtala Inusah reports that the case has been adjourned to March 2, 2022 for Case Management Conference.
Accused persons
Alhaji Collins Dauda, together with Kweku Agyeman Mensah, also a former minister, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, Chief Director of the ministry, Andrew Clocanas Executive chairman of Constructura OAS Ghana Limited and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo have been charged for causing financial loss to the state and have pleaded not guilty all 52 charges.
While Alhaji Collins Dauda was admitted to a self-recognisance bail, Kweku Agyeman Mensah, and Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, were granted bail in the sums of $65 million each.
In addition, they are to produce three sureities one of whom should be a public officer.
Andrew Clocanaswho is the fourth accused person was also admitted to bail in the sum of $179M with three sureities one of whom should be a public servant.
Nouvi Tetteh Angelo, the fifth accused persons was admitted admitted to bail in the sum of $13M dollars with three sureities.
Background
Two former Ministers of Works and Housing Alhaji Collins Dauda, Kweku Agyeman Mensah and three others have been arraigned in court over the Saglemi Affordable Housing infractions.
The five were charged on August 5 for 52 counts charges including causing financial loss to the state.
They are facing charges of Intentionally misapplying public property, causing financial loss to the state and issuing of false certificates in the Saglemi Affordable Housing project which involved the sum of $200M.
