I Paid Graphic & Free Press

THE FORMER Managing Director of Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL), Mr. Etienne Arthur Marie Popeler, has told an Accra Fast Track High Court that he gave the Daily Graphic ?3 million and Free Press ?1 million in 1996, as part of measures to influence the Divesture of GREL to his French company, Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH).

He said the monies were given to Mr. Kwame Awuah, the former Commercial Controller of GREL, to be given to the two media houses.

Popeler, who made these revelations last Friday, October 18, 2002, did not, however, elaborate as to whom the monies were given to in these two leading media houses in 1996.

Answering questions under cross-examination from Heward-Mills, Counsel for Ralph Casely-Hayford, the third accused person, Popeler told the court that he also gave ?70 million to Ralph Casely-Hayford.

He said he gave the money to a witness to be given to Mr. Ralph Casely-Hayford, but that there were no receipts and that it was also not documented.

He later told the court that he went to Casely-Hayford’s office with Dr. Albert Owusu Barnafo and Georgina Okaitey to give the accused the money, adding that they gave the money in the evening under the cover of darkness.

Popeler, who is a prosecution witness said he also gave $618,000 to his Togolese friend who was supposed to pay back the money with interest but that he never paid the money back and that he has since not seen him.

Asked whether he was forced to resign as MD of GREL, witness said he resigned voluntarily without any entitlements but that his colleague, Kwame Awuah Asante, the Commercial Controller, resigned with fringe benefits.

Pepeler told the court that he gave monies to Dan Abodakpi, the former Minister of Trade and Industry, Sherry Ayittey, Treasurer of the 31st December Women’s Movement and Mr. Emmanuel A. Agbodo, (former Executive Secretary) of the Divesture Implementation Committee (DIC) to influence the divestiture of GREL.

The 51-year old Belgian, re-emphasised his earlier statement that he paid $1 million bribe to the 31st December Women’s Movement (31st DWM) for his French company SIPH to secure GREL.

Sherry Ayittey and three others are charged with bribery and corruption.

The three are Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the DIC, Ralph Casely-Hayford, businessman and Satiriah Dorcas Ocran, a housewife.

They have all pleaded not guilty to the charges and the court has granted each of them self-cognisance bail. Sitting continues today. Posted