State to call five witnesses to testify at Saglemi housing trial

Prosecution in the trial involving Alhaji Collins Dauda, a former Minister of Water Resources, Works, and Housing and four others are set to call five witnesses to testify in the case.

The evidence in chief from witnesses, coupled with cross-examination from the defence was estimated to last for 1, 952 hours.

Justice Ernest Owusu Dapaah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge, made this known following the conclusion of Case Management Conference (CMC) and Case completion plan.

The Court has fixed July 10, 2023, to commence the trial. It has selected Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday to hear the trial.

Other accused persons are, Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, also a former Ministers of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, a former Chief Director, Mr Andrew Clocanas, Executive Chairman of Construtora OAS Ghana Limited (4th Accused) and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo, Chief Executive Officer, and owner of Ridge Management Solutions Ghana Limited, (5th Accused) are standing trial over the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project and are facing 70 charges.

They have all pleaded not guilty and have been granted bail.

They are said to have willfully caused financial loss to the state of over the $200 million sum approved for the project.

Madam Hilda Craig, the Principal State Attorney informed the Court that the first witness would tender in evidence 113 documents on behalf of the prosecution.

Rev. Osei, whose evidence-in-Chief is expected to last for an hour-and-half, would be subjected to cross-examination by defence counsel estimated at over 720 hours.

Mr Eric Amankwah Junior, an Officer of the Ministry of Finance, would be the Second Prosecution witness and is expected to tender in evidence 31 documents. The prosecution would need an hour and half.

The Defence told the Court that they would need over 50 hours to cross-examine the witnesses.

Other prosecution witnesses are Ms. Lucy Tetteh Akuetteh from the Bank of Ghana, who is expected to tender in evidence six documents, would be cross examined for an estimated 45 hours.

Meanwhile Kofi Ohene Oyirebi, the fourth prosecution witness, is estimated to use an hour and would tender a report.

He will also face an estimated 87 hours of Cross-examination from the Defence lawyers.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Charles Nyarko, the investigator in the case, will testify for hours and would be subjected to a cross examination for about 170 hours.

Source: GNA

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