Court discharges French national
167 million cedis realised from Quality
Grain plantation
Bolgatanga (Upper East) 02 August 2001
Tony Dager, a French national who allegedly stole his host's 200,000 CFA francs was on Friday discharged by a Circuit Court at Bolgatanga, for want of prosecution.
Dager pleaded not guilty to stealing the money belonging to Alhaji Issaka, a transport owner
The Presiding Judge Mr. S. Kuoro dismissed the charge and discharged Dager after Alhaji Issaka, the host, who had sought to withdraw the case for an out-of-court settlement failed to appear after several adjournments.
Mr. Kuoro warned that the court would in future punish litigants who waste its time by bringing cases before it, but failing to pursue them.
GRi.../
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167 million cedis realised from Quality
Grain plantation
Accra (Greater Accra) 02 August 2001
A prosecution witness in the Quality Grain scandal, on Wednesday said 167 million cedis was realised from the company's rice farm at Aveyime in the Volta Region last year.
Miss Ruth Frances Coffie, Manager at the company's office at Aveyime said 1,000 bags of grade two and 400 bags of broken rice were harvested.
Miss Coffie was giving evidence in a case in which six persons, including two former ministers of state have been charged with conspiracy and causing financial loss to the state.
Led by Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), witness said in April this year, the Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) Major Courage Quashigah (RTD) visited the company's 120-acre farm and said he was impressed with the project.
Miss Coffie said sometime last year, she transferred 28,400 dollars to Juliet Renee Woodard, a Director of the company in the United States (US).
She said Woodard asked her to obtain the amount from the Ecobank, Ghana Limited as a loan to pay the expatriate staff on the plantation, workers salaries and other miscellaneous expenses.
Miss Coffie said she has been communicating with Woodard and whenever there was any problem at the plantation, she directed her to some people for help.
Witness mentioned Dr Samuel Dapaah and Dr George Yankey, first and second accused persons respectively, as some of the people she contacted for help.
The other accused persons are, Ibrahim Adam and Kwame Peprah, Ministers of Food and Agriculture and Finance respectively, Nana Ato Dadzie and Kwesi Ahwoi, both former senior government officials.
They have all pleaded not guilty and each of them has been granted self-recognisance bail.
Miss Coffie said under cross-examination by the defence that she is not aware that the project is a joint venture between the company and the government.
Witness said she received 25 million cedis from MOFA and has applied for additional 500 million cedis for expansion of the 120-acre plantation.
Mr Pius Kwasi Addae, Deputy Director of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) in charge of administration, gave evidence for the prosecution and said all documents processed by counsel for the company were genuine.
He said initially, the company could not satisfy the GIPC requirements for registration but after several meetings with Woodard, the company was registered.
Another prosecution witness, Mr Kwaku Ayimadu of the legal department of the Ministry of Finance said sometime in 1997, he was asked to sign a document with the title, "Deed of Indemnity" for an agreement between the government and the company.
He said it was Dr Yankey who asked him to append his signature to the document even though he did not know anything about its preparation. Hearing continues on Tuesday, August 7.
GRi../
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