Quality Grain Convicts appeal case adjourned

Accra, March 4, GNA - The Court of Appeal on Thursday adjourned a substantive appeal filed by three convicted former top Government Officials involved in the Quality Grain Company case.
The Court presided over by Mr Justice F. M. Lartey, was told that Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) was indisposed. Other judges on the panel were Mr Justice J.C. Amoono-Monney and Mr Justice Stephen T. Farkye.
Mr Augustine Obuor, State Attorney, communicated to court a request from Mr Sampong praying the court for a two-week adjournment. The court obliged and adjourned the matter for hearing to begin on March 17.
Kwame Peprah, former Minister of Finance was sentenced to four years' imprisonment while Ibrahim Adam, former Minister of Food and Agriculture and George Yankey, former Director of the Legal Sector, Private and Financial Institutions of the Ministry of Finance, were sentenced to two years' imprisonment each.
They were charged with conspiracy and causing financial loss of 20 million dollars to the State in a rice project at Aveyime in the Volta Region.
The Trial Judge, late Mr Justice Dixon Kwame Afreh, Supreme Court Judge, acquitted and discharged Nana Ato Dadzie, former Chief of Staff and Dr Samuel Dapaah, former Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.
The Quality Grain scandal revolved around a US woman, Juliet Cotton, to whom the money was paid to cultivate rice at Aveyime. A US Court had already convicted Cotton for her involvement in the project.
Nana Adjei Ampofo, who represented Peprah, held brief for Mr Samuel Cudjoe, Counsel for Ibrahim Adam, whilst Mr Tony Lithur represented Yankey.