Lawyers for former Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) CEO Solomon Asamoah and former Board Chairman Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi have told the High Court that the alleged $2 million loss in the Sky Train deal was caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, not by any criminal wrongdoing.
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 facing 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 ended 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 testified 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 indicated their intention to file a submission of no case, arguing that the evidence presented fails to establish the offences against their clients.
In the application, the defence contends that the loss of the $2 million investment was a consequence of the global Covid-19 pandemic, which disrupted projects and business activities worldwide.
The lawyers are 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 made a case requiring the accused persons to respond.