Mallam Isa Fails to Appear Incourt

The former Minister for Youth and Sports, Mallam Yusif Isa who was scheduled to appear before the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal last Monday April 30th failed to turn up. His failure to turn up was explained as having sent in an excuse duty from his doctor to the police and the tribunal that he was indisposed and as such not fit to stand trial last Monday.

He is therefore, to appear before the tribunal on Wednesday, May 9, 2001. A source at the registry of the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal told The Independent that, Mallam Yusif Isa was scheduled to have appeared before the Tribunal, but were later informed that the case they had been rescheduled for Wednesday, May 9th, 2001.

"We have received a message from the police that Mallam Yusif Isa sent in an excuse duty from his doctor indicating that he could not stand for trial today on grounds of ill-health" the source said. According to the source in view of the circumstances, both the prosecution and the court agreed to reschedule the case for May 9th 2001.

The source could however not tell the charges likely to be preferred against the former minister but said it could range from stealing, causing financial loss to the state or sabotage. "I believe that the possible charges the police could prefer against Mallam Isa might be either stealing, causing financial loss to the state or sabotage", the source said, adding that, "the docket on the case is in the custody of the police so it is only the police that would be in the position to tell of the exact charges against Mallam Isa".

Mallam Yusif Isa is to stand trial in connection with the mysterious loss of $46,000 which got lost while in his custody. The money was to be used to pay the bonus for the national team, the Black Stars when they met the national team of Sudan.

The money was reported to have been locked up in the former minister's suitcase which got lost in transit during his flight but was later found with the bag allegedly reported to have been tampered with. Ever since this incident there have been a lot of conflicting statements by the former minister and other sports officials who were accused of having played a role in the loss of the money.

In the wake of accusations and counter accusations, a three-man Committee was set up by the Police Administration to investigate the matter and advise the government as to what to do. The committee after its investigations exonerated the other officials whose names were associated with the loss and implicated the former minister of being in custody of the money.

The committee therefore recommended to the government to demand a refund of the money from the former minister and as well be prosecuted in line with the government's zero tolerance for corruption.