Five of the accused persons including the company in the ongoing SML corruption case, have pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
However, former Finance Minister Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, Ernest Darko Akore, Chef de Cabinet to the former minister, and Kwadwo Damoah, MP for Jaman South, were absent and therefore did not enter pleas.
The accused persons collectively face 78 counts involving corruption-related offences and abuse of public office.
Those who pleaded not guilty are:
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Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), who is facing 39 counts.
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Isaac Crentsil, former Commissioner of the Customs Division of GRA, facing 19 counts.
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Evans Adusei, Chief Executive Officer of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML), who also represented the company, pleaded not guilty to 19 counts in his personal capacity and 18 counts on behalf of the company.
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Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner-General of GRA, who is facing 10 counts.
Those absent were:
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Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, who faces 28 counts.
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Ernest Darko Akore, facing 12 counts, and for whom extradition proceedings have been initiated.
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Kwadwo Damoah, the MP for Jaman South, facing 8 counts. His lawyers informed the court that he was absent due to non-adherence to the procedure for serving Members of Parliament.
The court adjourned the case to December 17, when Damoah’s plea is expected to be taken.
Source: CNR
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