Selormey granted 1.5 billion cedi bail

Mr Victor Selormey, former Deputy Finance Minister, facing charges of conspiracy, defrauding by false pretences and wilfully causing financial loss of 1.3 million US dollars to the state, on Friday appeared before the Fast Track Court in Accra.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges arising from the court computerisation project, and was granted a 1.5 billion cedi bail to re-appear on June 18.

Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), told the court presided over by Mr Justice Sam Badu, an Appeal Court Judge, sitting as additional High Court Judge that following a special audit report which was conducted at the Ministry of Finance, it was discovered that Selormey authorised that some sums of money should be paid to a Dr Boadu.

The prosecution said the audit covered a period from April 1997 to March 2001.

During investigation, it was found out that the accused wrote letters to the ECOBANK Ghana Limited, authorising the transfer of various sums of money, totalling 1,297,5000 US dollars, to Leebda Corporation of Texas, USA.

The DPP said these sums were meant for the payment of services purported to have been rendered by Dr. Boadu in respect of the Court Computerisation Project.

'We shall lead evidence to show that Dr. Boadu did not render any service towards this project, even though he had expressed the desire to be contracted to carry out the project."