The High Court in Accra has been informed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) that attempts are being made to assist former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta and Ernest Darko Akore, who are both presently in the United States, in the ongoing Revenue Assurance trial.
The prosecution said that even though three more witness statements had been submitted to help with the Case Management Conference (CMC), the two accused people’s delays prevented the proceedings from moving further.
The OSP stated that the procedure is being conducted through Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) channels and that additional information was needed by the US Department of Justice, which has subsequently been supplied.
Mr. Kwame Gyan, the counsel for Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), contended that there is no precise deadline for finishing the service procedure.
He pointed out that the other defendants have regularly followed court orders, including those pertaining to reporting requirements and frequent appearances.
In order to lessen the burden until the prosecution finishes procedures regarding the two people overseas, he urged the court to provisionally release them.
Ammish Addai Owusu-Amoah, the attorney for the fourth accused, backed the proposal and recommended either a discharge or longer reporting periods to cut expenses.
The prosecution, however, rejected the request, stating that it is prepared to move forward and would rather have an adjournment.
In its decision, the court recognised continued attempts to serve the accused overseas and concluded that the prosecution’s lack of diligence was not the cause of the delay.
It decided that the procedure should be given enough time. The case was adjourned to April 23, 2026.
Source: newsthemegh.com