Businessman before tribunal for visa scandal
Accra (Greater Accra) 29 June 2001
The Fast Track High Court on Thursday ruled that Mallam Ali Yusuf Isa, former Minister of Youth and Sports should open his defence at 1000 hours on July 3.
The court presided over by Justice Julius Ansah, an Appeal Court Judge sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, said it was with "great reluctance" that he acceded to the request by defence counsel, Mr Ambrose Dery, for a long adjournment.
Mallam Isa who is charged with two counts of stealing 46,000 dollars and fraudulently causing financial loss to the state, has pleaded not guilty and has been granted 500 million cedis bail.
He is supposed to report at the Police Headquarters every Monday, Wednesday and Friday until the case is disposed of. The accused is also to deposit a land title deed to the Registrar of the Court.
The court said the accused had enough time to organise himself and so dismissed a verbal application for stay of proceedings made by counsel on Wednesday to enable the Supreme Court to determine an appeal filed on the case.
Mr Dery on Thursday, May 24, filed an interlocutory appeal at the court of appeal for an order to stay proceedings in the case, pending the determination of the appeal against two rulings of the trial judge, Justice Ansah.
The interlocutory appeal on May 15 was against the over-ruling of a preliminary objection against the second count of fraudulently causing financial loss to the state and the submission of "no case" by counsel after the prosecution closed its case on May 24.
He had earlier informed the court that the prosecution had failed to adduce any evidence against his client to enable him to open his defence.
The court on May 22 overruled a submission of "no case" by defence counsel.
GRi…/
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Accra (Greater Accra) 29 June 2001
Nana Asare Bediako, a businessman who is accused of defrauding two people of 4,500 US dollars under the pretext of securing US visas for their children, was on Thursday arraigned before a circuit tribunal in Accra.
Bediako pleaded not guilty to defrauding by false pretences and was granted bail in the sum of 20 million cedis with a surety to be justified.
The case is scheduled for July 18.
The tribunal chaired by Mr Imoru Ziblim ordered that Bediako should report at 1400 hours every Friday to the Striking Force at the Police Headquarters.
Prosecuting, Police Chief Inspector Emmanuel Amegah said in September last year, Nana Osei Broni Managing Director of GCMA Limited in Accra and a friend, Mr. Kingsley Fobi Boateng, decided to send two of their children to the United States.
He said Bediako 1was introduced to Nana Broni as somebody who could help him secure American visas.
Bediako told Nana Broni that he was residing in America and, therefore, could easily use that as an advantage to procure the travelling documents for him.
Chief Inspector Amegah said Bediako received various sums of money to the tune of 4,500 dollars but was not able to produce the visas.
The prosecutor said later Bediako brought Cuba visas to Nana Broni which he rejected and demanded his money back.
Bediako failed to return the money and went into hiding until he was arrested on May 23 this year.
GRi…/
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