Former Minister for Food and Agriculture and the first accused in a case in which six persons are standing trial for conspiracy and causing financial loss to the State, Ibrahim Adam, was not at post when the government guaranteed loans granted to the Quality Grain Company.
Detective Police Inspector Stephen Kwame Adarkwa, who is attached to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), told the court that investigations did not show that there was a conspiracy between Adam and any of the remaining accused persons to wilfully cause financial loss to the state.
Inspector Adarkwa, the 17th prosecution witness, said this during cross-examination by counsel for Adam, former Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), at the Fast Track Court presided over by Mr Justice Kwame Afreh.
Witness agreed with counsel, Mr Samuel Kodjoe that his client's involvement in the company's activities was to boost rice production. He also agreed to a suggestion that Adam was at the Ministry of Trade and Industries, when the government paid monies into the accounts of the company in the United States (US).
On trial with Adam are: Kwame Peprah, former Finance Minister, Dr Samuel Dapaah, Dr George Yankey, Nana Ato Dadzie and Kwesi Ahwoi, all former senior public officers. They have pleaded not guilty and each of them is on a self-recognisance bail.
Inspector Adarkwa, however, disagreed with counsel that Dr Dapaah's role in the matter was official and that whatever he did was in response to recommendations contained in a feasibility report on a rice project at Aveyime in the Volta Region.
Witness said Dr Dapaah, who was then the Chief Director at MOFA, should have ensured that the loans the government guaranteed would be properly utilised.
When counsel asked whether he visited the project site and saw the rice plantation, silos and millers, witness replied in the negative. Counsel then suggested to witness that he did not investigate the case but rather took instructions to charge the accused persons. Inspector Adarkwa disagreed and explained that he was a member of a five-member investigating team and his work covered a segment of the case.
Witness again did not agree with counsel's suggestion that the Exim Bank in the US, which granted the company loans that the government guaranteed, found that the project would be viable before it gave out the loans.
Earlier, Inspector Adarkwa tendered statements of all the accused persons as well several documents including, files on the company from the office of the President and various correspondence between the Exim Bank and the government.
