A Prosecution witness in the corruption case involving former GYEEDA boss, Abuga Pele and Chief Executive of Goodwill International Group (GIG), Philip Akpeena Assibit, has told the court that all payments made to Goodwill Ghana was approved by the then Minister of Youth and Sports Clement Kofi Humado.<\/p>\n
[contextly_sidebar id=”d1eWbTOykf87eneBCRv7m5XRRlSVqwdu”]The witness Eric Suma, who is an accounts officer at the then Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneural Development Agency (GYEEDA) and the sixth\u00a0 witness to appear\u00a0 for state prosecution, told the court Mr. Humado gave instructions, barring them from issuing any payment above \u00a220,000 without his approval and therefore could not issue out any payments to the accused\u00a0 without his permission.<\/p>\n
Mr. Suma who confirmed issuing the payments to Philip Assibit, said\u00a0during cross examination that Abuga Pele only signed the cheques as National coordinator based on instructions from Mr. Humado.<\/p>\n
His comments seem to contradict the testimony of Mr. Humado who was also a prosecution witness in the case that, as minister, he did not approve any payments but gave consent to payment plans developed from GYEEDA \u201capproval for payment plan does not\u00a0mean that specific payments can be\u00a0done.\u201d<\/p>\n
Charges Mr. Assibit, who is the first\u00a0accused person, is also facing six\u00a0counts of defrauding the state of an\u00a0amount equivalent to $1,948,626.68\u00a0by false pretences, contrary to Section\u00a0131(1) of the Criminal and Offences\u00a0Act 1960 (Act 29) and five counts of\u00a0dishonestly causing loss to public\u00a0property contrary to Section 2(1) of\u00a0the Public Property Protection Act,\u00a01977 (SMCD 1).<\/p>\n Adjournment <\/strong><\/p>\n Presiding judge Justice Afia Asare Botwe adjourned to the case to the 11th<\/sup> of March 2015 though hearing was supposed to continue tomorrow because state prosecutors told the court their next witness was out town on an official assignment.<\/p>\n Justice Asare Botwe also gave strict instruction to the prosecutors to ensure they close their case by the 3rd of April 2015.<\/p>\n –<\/p>\n By: Fred Djabanor\/citifmonline.com\/Ghana<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Prosecution witness in the corruption case involving former GYEEDA boss, Abuga Pele and Chief Executive of Goodwill International Group (GIG), Philip Akpeena Assibit, has told the court that all payments made to Goodwill Ghana was approved by the then Minister of Youth and Sports Clement Kofi Humado. [contextly_sidebar id=”d1eWbTOykf87eneBCRv7m5XRRlSVqwdu”]The witness Eric Suma, who is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":93954,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[],"tags":[43,38],"yoast_head":"\n
\n<\/strong>The Chiana-Paga MP is facing six\u00a0counts of wilfully causing financial\u00a0loss to the state under Section 179A\u00a0(3) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960\u00a0(Act 29), to the tune of\u00a0GH\u00a23,330,568.53; two counts of abetment\u00a0under Sections 20(1) and 131(1)\u00a0of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960\u00a0(Act 29) and one count of intentionally\u00a0misapplying public property, contrary\u00a0to Section 1(2) of the Public\u00a0Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD\u00a0140).<\/p>\n