Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) Trail

Accra, July 11, GNA - Detective Inspector Amidu Imoro, investigator in the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case on Friday said he took investigation caution statements from all the four accused persons on trial.

Led in evidence by Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Inspector Imoro told an Accra Fast Track Court hearing the case that apart from the accused persons, he took statements from other people, including three of the nine prosecution witnesses. The four persons are Hanny Sherry Ayittey, treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former executive secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), Ralph Casely-Hayford, businessman and Sati Dorcas Ocran, a housewife.

The accused persons, who face various charges of corruption in connection with the privatisation of GREL, allegedly used their positions to influence the DIC board to divest GREL in favour of a French company called Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea. They have all denied the various charges, and each of them is currently on a self-recognisance bail.

Inspector Imoro told the court that when the case of theft at GREL was referred to him on April 12, 2001, he also took statements from Mr Etienne Marie Popeler, former Managing Director of GREL, Dr Albert Owusu-Banafo, consultant of the company, and Madam Georgina Okaitey, member of the 31st December Women's Movement, all being prosecution witnesses. The investigator, who is the ninth and last prosecution witness stated that after taking statements from the accused persons, he cautioned them.

Inspector Imoro, stationed at the Criminal Investigations Department of the police headquarters and now attached to the Ministry of the Interior, later tendered all the statements in evidence, without any objections from defence counsel.

Mr Johnny Quarshie-Idun, Mr J. E. Senoo, Mr Rodney Heward-Mills and Mr Tony Lithur are defending Ayittey, Agbodo, Casely-Hayford and Ocran respectively.

Mr Justice J C Amonoo-Monney, Appeal Court Judge with an additional responsibility on the case as a High Court Judge, has adjourned proceedings to Tuesday, July 15 to enable defence counsel to cross-examine the last prosecution witness, after which the accused persons would be expected to open their defence.