We travelled to France at the invitation of SIPH - Witness

A prosecution witness in the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case on Wednesday told an Accra Fast Track Court that she, Sherry Ayittey and Dr Albert Owusu-Barnafo travelled to France at the invitation of officials of Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH).

Mrs Georgina Okaiteye, the seventh prosecution witness, who said this when being led in evidence by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), told the court that the visit was in May 1996.

She said she and Dr Owusu-Barnafo travelled together to London where they were joined by Ayittey.

Ayittey, treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), and three others are facing trial for their alleged involvement in acts of bribery and corruption in connection with the privatisation of GREL in favour of SIPH, a French company.

The three are Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), Ralph Casely-Hayford, a businessman, Sati Dorcas Ocran, a housewife.

They have all denied the charges and the trial judge, Mr Justice J C Amonoo-Monney, Appeal Court Judge, with an additional responsibility on the case as a High Court Judge, had admitted each of them to a self-recognisance bail.

Mrs Okaiteye, a member of the DWM told the court that Mr Etienne Popeler, former Managing Director of GREL and some officials of SIPH met the three of them on their arrival in Paris and took them to the company's offices.

The witness said the SIPH officials had a meeting with Ayittey after which they held a dinner in honour of the three of them.

Mrs Okaiteye said at the dinner, Ayittey pointed out to the SIPH officials that they would win the bid for GREL only if they paid a good price.

The witness said Ayittey also told the SIPH officials "to do the work well for Ghana to benefit from it."

She told the court that after the visit to France, she returned to Ghana wMrs Okaiteye said after GREL's divestiture was won by SIPH, her own company was given contracts for GREL. The contracts were in the form of the construction of feeder roads and the clearing of the company's rubber plantations.

Witness said Mr Popeler requested for her company's letterhead and instructed GREL's accountant to prepare invoices totalling 800 million cedis for her company.

Mrs Okaiteye told the court that at one time she accompanied Dr Owusu-Barnafo to Ayittey's residence at Ridge to express SIPH's appreciation to Ayittey for making it possible for the company to secure GREL.

She said while in the house, Ayittey and Dr Owusu-Barnafo went into the hall while she waited outside.

Mrs Okaiteye told the court that Dr Owusu-Barnafo never came back with a bag he was holding when entering Ayittey's hall.

The witness said while in her house, she saw Ayittey writing on a document, but stated that she could not tell what exactly Ayittey wrote.

Mrs Okaiteye said Dr Owusu-Barnafo intimated to her that he was travelling outside the country, and that he would transfer some money to Austria at the request of Ayittey.

In answer to a question during cross-examination by Mr David Lamptey, counsel for Ayittey, Mrs Okaiteye said she only signed her signature on her company's letterhead and did not sign any invoice.

The case has been adjourned to Tuesday, March 4 for counsel to continue with cross-examination. with Dr Owusu-Barnafo, while Ayittey came later.