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Former Finanace Minister calls for
charges to be dropped
Gideon Sackitey
Accra, July 10, Ghanadot. - Mr. Kwame Peprah, the former
Minister of Finance, who spent four years in jail across the
country for causing financial loss to the state, but
pardoned some three years ago has appealed to an Accra Fast
Track High Court to dismiss charges against him.
He is currently facing charges alongside the former First
Lady, Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, and three others for
allegedly causing financial loss to the state in the
divestiture of the GIHOC Cannery at Nsawam.
Mr Peprah, also a former Minister of Mines and Energy, has
pleaded not guilty to the charge of intentionally causing
loss to public property.
Mr Peprah and Mrs Rawlings are on trial alongside three
others, namely, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, the then Executive
Secretary of the DIC, Thomas Benson Owusu, former DIC
Accountant Madam Sherry Ayittey, Managing Director of
Caridem Development Company Limited, and Caridem as an
entity.
According to the court they are
facing various charges of conspiracy, causing financial loss
to public property, conspiracy to obtain public property by
false statement and obtaining public property by false
statement.
The five persons are alleged to have caused financial loss
to the state running into billions of cedis in respect of a
public property following the acquisition of GIHOC Cannery,
a government cannery, by Caridem Limited, owned by the 31st
December Women's Movement (DWM), in 1995 when it was
divested by the DIC.
The prosecution said the accused persons failed to pay
interest which accrued on an outstanding balance of 7,069
billion cedis, amounting to ¢2,191 billion cedis to the DIC
in respect of the sale of GIHOC Nsawam Cannery, which
resulted in the financial loss.
Mr Peprah argues in his application that: "the decision to
divest the interest and the Presidential approval were made
and given before I became Chairman of the Governing Body of
the Committee".
"This honourable court must acquit and discharge me of
charges in this case and make a further order prohibiting
the government, the Attorney-General and all governmental
agencies from disturbing me in matters relating to the
performance of my functions as Chairman of the Governing
Board."
Mr Peprah who has not been heard since been pardoned by
President John Kufuor also said he has been indemnified
against court proceedings in respect of any act or omission
arising out of the disposal of the GIHOC Nsawam Cannery by
reason and operation of Section 15 of the Divestiture of
State Interests (Implementation) Act, 1993 PNDCL 326.
Mr Peprah also former Chairman of the Divestiture
Implementation Committee (DIC), described the charges as
illegal saying he performed his duties in conjunction with
the law.
"The duty I performed with regard to the divestiture of the
Nsawam Cannery was a duty commended by law and a refusal to
do it would have been unlawful".
An affidavit accompanying the application, to be heard on
Thursday, July 12, 2007, said the applicant was obliged to
sign instruments once the President had approved
recommendations to them making it legal and correct to do.
Monday’s hearing of the case had to be adjourned to Thursday
to enable prosecution to obtain a copy of the application
which it had not received yet.
Larry Adjetey, a Director/Secretary of Caridem, George
Mould, a Director of Caridem and Georgina Okaiteye, a
Director/General Manager of Caridem Development Company
Limited were discharged earlier following withdrawal of
charges against them by the prosecution.
The five accused have pleaded not guilty to the charges and
are on self-recognisance bail.
Gideon Sackitey, ACCRA, July 10, 2007, Ghanadot.com
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