A former Board Member of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Yaw Odame-Darkwa, has told the High Court in Accra that the Board did not approve any funding for the Sky Train project during his tenure.
Mr. Odame-Darkwa, who was on the board of GIIF between 2017 and 2020, also told the court that, to the best of his knowledge, the Sky Train project had not been tabled for consideration at any Board Meeting.
While testifying as the first prosecution witness in the case in which former Board Chairman of GIIF, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, and former Chief Executive of GIIF, Solomon Asamoah, are standing trial for misappropriating some $2 million, he said the Investment Committee did not recommend the Sky Project to the Board for approval.
Mr. Odame-Darkwa, who was led by the Deputy Attorney General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, to have his witness statement adopted as his evidence-in-chief, said he became aware of the payment of $2 million only through the Auditor-General’s report.
It was his testimony to the court that, in accordance with proper procedure, a due diligence report should have been presented to the Board prior to any approval for disbursement.
He stated in his witness statement, adopted by the court, that he had recently been made aware of certain minutes from GIIF Board meetings referencing the Sky Train project.
READ: Trial of Ex-GIIF Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi, Asamoah over $2M Sky Train financial loss begins
He said the minutes referred to as evidence of the meeting do not accurately reflect the Board’s deliberations or decisions concerning the Sky Train project at any time.
The first witness also explained in his witness statement that he had always acted in the best interest of the Republic of Ghana and would not have granted approval for any disbursement without proper due diligence.
It is his testimony that the minutes of previous GIIF project meetings in which he participated will demonstrate that he consistently acted in good faith, in accordance with due process, and in the national interest.
He said during his tenure, the Board of GIIF approved funding for several infrastructure projects, but the Sky Train concept was only introduced at one of their Board meetings.
The former Board member said the Board did not receive any substantive proposal on the Sky Train project, and hence they did not deliberate or take any decision on the project.
“To be specific, there was no proposal discussed at any meeting I attended regarding the disbursement of funds to the project,” the witness stated.
Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi and former Chief Executive Officer of GIIF, Solomon Asamoah, have pleaded not guilty to six charges, including willfully causing financial losses of $2 million in the Sky Train project.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, reports that lawyers for the first accused person have started their cross-examination of the witness.
The case before Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay has been adjourned to November 12, 2025, for continuation.
The Office of the Attorney General is expected to parade eight witnesses to prove their case.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
