Lawyers for former Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) Chief Executive Officer Solomon Asamoah and former Board Chairman Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi have argued that the alleged $2 million loss arising from the Sky Train project was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and not by any criminal conduct on the part of their clients.
The argument is contained in a submission of no case filed after the Attorney General closed its case against the two accused persons.
Mr. Asamoah and Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi are standing trial on charges of causing financial loss to the state over the alleged disbursement of $2 million for the proposed Sky Train project without approval from the GIIF Board.
The prosecution concluded its case after calling three witnesses — former GIIF Board member Yaw Odame-Darkwa, acting GIIF Board Secretary Kofi Boakye, and National Intelligence Bureau officer Francis Aboagye, who led investigations into the matter.
The witnesses told the court that the GIIF Board did not approve the Sky Train project for which the funds were allegedly disbursed.
Following the close of the prosecution’s case, lawyers for the accused persons informed the court of their intention to file a submission of no case, arguing that the evidence presented by the prosecution failed to establish the offences against their clients.
According to the defence, the loss of the $2 million investment resulted from the global Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted economic activities, infrastructure projects and business operations around the world.
The lawyers are therefore asking the court to dismiss the charges and bring the trial to an end without requiring the accused persons to open their defence.
The case is before Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, who granted the defence three weeks to file the application.
The court is expected to determine whether the prosecution has established a prima facie case that warrants the accused persons being called upon to present their defence.