Court to rule on Sousssoudis's submission of no case

Accra, May 19, GNA - An Accra Fast Track High Court hearing the case of Michael Soussoudis, a businessman charged with two counts of possessing explosives and firearms, will on June 9 rule on whether or not he has a case to answer.

This was after Mr. Bernard Turkson, defence counsel, had informed the court that he had filed a submission of no case on behalf of his client.

The prosecution told the court that it would need a week to respond to the submission of no case.

The court, presided over by Mr Justice George Aryeetey therefore, ordered the prosecution to file its response by May 26 to enable the court to give its ruling on June 9.

Soussoudis is also accused of possessing ammunition without lawful authority. He has denied all the charges and has been admitted to bail. The prosecution had earlier told the Court that a team of Police officers acting upon a tip-off searched Soussoudis' residence in April 2001 for firearms.

A quantity of arms and explosives was found at the boys' quarters (outhouse) and the main house.

A seven-member jury is backing the Trial Judge.

The GNA had reported erroneously on April 28 that the Trial Judge had announced that the prosecution had proved beyond every reasonable doubt that the accused person had a case to answer. What happened at Court on April 28 was that after the prosecution had closed its case the defence indicated that it would file a submission of no case.