Judge fumes over DKM scandal trial

An Accra Circuit Court judge yesterday expressed anger at accused persons who are standing trial in the DKM Diamond Microfinance Company case for failing to regularly appear before the court.

According to trial judge, Aboagye Tandoh, the accused persons-Martin Kuudening Delle, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of DKM, Monica Afriyie, aka Maame Korkor and Nortey Noel, both Directors of God Is Love Fun Club and Charles Asum run shift in appearing before the court to stand the trial, which has resulted in incessant adjournment of the case.

He added that anytime the case is called, all the accused persons do not come to court.

At yesterday’s sitting, lawyers for the accused persons said Monica and Noel were on their way to the court.

Judge Tandoh warned the duo that at the next sitting, they should not allow the court and the lawyers to wait for them.

He said the accused persons have no excuse to be late and that if they wanted to be in court early, they should leave their residence on time to avoid traffic in Accra.

The judge stated that the accused persons must come to court before their lawyers arrive, insisting that accused persons in any case should not see lawyers as messengers they could sent to tell the court anything.

Sitting continues on November 2.

The accused persons are believed to have taken various sums of money from several depositors.

Delle, who is said to be the son of CPP National Chairman, Dr Edmund Delle, is alleged to have dishonestly appropriated GH¢40,000 belonging to one Kwaku Charles.

He is currently on bail in the sum of GH¢80 million with four sureties, (two to be justified) and ordered to make GH¢6 million security deposit.

Currently, Afriyie and Noel are each on a GH¢50 million bail with five sureties, two to be justified.

They are each required to make a security deposit of GH¢5 million.

Asum was granted bail in the sum of GH¢20 million with three sureties, two to be justified.

He was ordered to make GH¢2 million security deposit.

As part of the bail conditions, the accused persons are to report to the BNI every Thursday until the conditions are varied by the court.

The accused persons have variously denied the charge of fraudulent breach of trust.