The High Court has given former Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund executives Solomon Asamoah and Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi until September 23, 2026, to file their respective defences in the ongoing Sky Train case.
The extension is the third granted to the two accused persons since the trial court dismissed their submissions of no case and ordered them to open their defence.
Mr Asamoah previously served as Chief Executive Officer of GIIF, while Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was Chairman of the Fund's Board.
US$2m Payment at Centre of Trial
The case centres on an alleged US$2 million financial loss to the state connected to the proposed Ghana Sky Train project.
Prosecutors say GIIF paid the amount in 2019 towards acquiring an equity stake in the company behind the proposed project.
The prosecution's case is that the payment was made without the required board approval. The Sky Train project ultimately failed to materialise, with the state allegedly losing the funds committed to the transaction.
Both accused persons had asked the court to acquit them at the close of the prosecution's case, arguing that sufficient evidence had not been presented to require them to mount a defence.
The trial court disagreed and dismissed their submissions of no case.
Supreme Court Application Pending
Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Dr Justice Srem-Sai disclosed the latest extension in a Facebook post on Monday, August 24.
The development comes days before another legal challenge connected to the trial reaches the Supreme Court.
The apex court is expected to hear an interlocutory injunction application filed by lawyers for Mr Asamoah on Thursday, August 27.
His lawyers are seeking to temporarily halt proceedings at the High Court while a separate application challenging the trial court's decision to dismiss his submission of no case is determined.
Unless that challenge affects proceedings, the two former GIIF officials now have until September 23 to put their respective defences before the trial court.
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