The Commercial High Court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour has dismissed a “Submission of No Case” application by all five accused persons in the case of the Republic verses Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, and four others over charges brought against them by the State for causing financial loss to the State up to about 4million dollars.
The Court subsequently ordered the accused persons to open their defence.
The State closed its case against the accused persons on the 18th of April 2019, following which, the accused persons chose to exercise their rights under section 173 of Criminal and Other Offences Procedure Act (Act 30) to file “Submissions of No Case”.
In all, the State called six (6) prosecution witnesses in her bit to establish its case against the accused persons.
The prosecution witnesses were, Director of Legal Administration at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Abena Awarkoa Asafo Adjei, Dr. Isaac Yaw Ani, Deputy Director General in charge of Management and Operations at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Henry Kanor, Deputy Director General in charge of Technical Operations at the National Communications Authority (NCA), Colonel Michael Kwadwo Poku, Director of Operations at the National Security, Deputy National Security Coordinator, Duncan Opare, and Detective Chief Inspector Michael Nkrumah, Investigator of the case.
In his 1 hour, 40 minutes ruling, Justice Eric Kyei Baffour’s Court had occasion to address the defence team on all 17 charges preferred against them by the State.
The accused persons are Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie 1st, William Matthew Tetteh Tevie 2nd, Nana Owusu Ensaw 3rd, Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman 4th and George Derek Oppong 5th accused persons.
The 1st Accused has 8 counts, 2nd accused has 8 counts, 3rd accused has 6 counts, 4th accused has 7 counts and 5th accused has 6 counts preferred against them.
Subsequently, he ruled that the first, second, fourth and fifth accused persons should all open their defence in respect of all charges brought against them. With regard to the third accused person, the Court acquitted him of four of six charges but ordered that he opens his defence in the two other charges.
Sitting was adjourned to the 30th of May 2019 for the accused persons to open their defence
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Wilberforce Asare
