Lawyers for Nana Appiah Mensah, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited, yesterday asked the Accra Circuit Court to discharge their client for want of prosecution.
The lead counsel, Alexander Owusu Junior, accused the prosecution for delaying the trial, which started in 2019.
Nana Mensah, also known as Nam 1, was initially charged with 14 counts of abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on a deposit-taking business without a license, sale of minerals without a license, unlawful deposit-taking, and money laundering.
He had since pleaded not guilty and granted GH¢1 billion with five sureties, three to be justified.
The case had several adjournments and the charges amended twice, as prosecution led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Sylvester Asare, awaited Attorney-General’s advice.
When the case was called yesterday, ASP Asare told presiding judge, Mrs Evelyn Asamoah, that prosecution was yet to receive the A-G’s advice, hence the need for the adjournment.
In his response, however, Mr Owusu appealed to the court to strike the charges against Nana Mensah.
The lawyer contended that the case had dragged on and reminded the court that prosecution must be conducted within a reasonable time.
The case has been adjourned to April 4, 2022.
Nana Mensah was first charged with 14 counts, but the prosecution amended the counts to 61, and the court was yet to take the plea of accused on the amended counts.
It is alleged that accused had taken various sums of money, totaling GH¢1.6 billion from customers.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
