The High Court in Accra has ordered for an enhanced security presence and screening of all aggrieved Menzgold Customers and others before entry into the courtroom in the case in which Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, aka NAM1 is facing fresh charges. The order of the Court was after Lawyers of NAM1 led by Kwame Boafo Akuffo called for proper security for court users, the court and staff after his client’s PRO was struck on the forehead with an object after the previous Court sitting.
Director of Public Prosecution, (DPP), Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisah though said she was unaware of the developments, concurred with the call for an enhanced security presence in a subsequent sitting. Justice Ernest Owusu-Dapaah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge subsequently ordered the Registrar of the court to make such arrangements.
In Court on Friday, November 17, 2023, State Prosecutors led by the DPP substituted the Old charge sheet with a new charge sheet filed on November 16. The DPP informed the Court that, the prosecution has also complied with the filing of disclosures and Witness Statements and the same has been served on the accused.
She said the same was being scanned to be uploaded in the e-Justice portals.
The DPP also told the court that a new charge sheet had been filed and prayed for the old charge sheet to be withdrawn for the accused to plead to them. The latest charge sheet filed on November 16 has 39 counts which comprised of a count each of selling gold contrary to section, operating a deposit-taking business without license and inducement to invest.
The others are – 22 counts of defrauding by false pretences, seven counts of fraudulent breach of trust and seven counts of Money Laundering.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah is reporting that, though the latest charge sheet is similar to the previous one, the GHc1.6 billion total sums in the previous charges sheet has reduced to GHc340 million. Lead Counsel for NAM1, Lawyer Kwame Boafo Akuffo raised security concerns and prayed to the court for enhanced security presence for the case
According to him, the PRO of his client’s Companies was struck on the forehead with an object by one of the customers.
He said, for the safety of the accused person, court users, the judge, the prosecutors, the lawyers and the court staff, entry into the courtroom should be preceded by a proper screening. The Director of Public Prosecutions Mrs Obuobisah, did not oppose to the request even though she said she was unaware of the incident.
Justice Owusu-Dapaah, consequently, ordered the Registrar to arrange for more police and other security officers to screen everyone whenever this case come on.
The Case has been adjourned to December 4, 2023, for NAM1’s plea to be taken on the new charge sheet. Following the security concerns, the court directed the Police to take an accused person out first before the customers followed.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Murtala Inusah
