Madam Georgina Okaiteye, the Seventh Prosecution Witness in the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case, said on Wednesday that the Police invited her to give a statement in connection with the case.
Giving evidence under cross-examination, Madam Okaiteye disagreed with a suggestion by counsel that the Police arrested her because of her involvement in the case. Those being tried are Hanny Sherry Ayittey, Treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee, Ralph Casely-Hayford, a Businessman and Sati Dorcas Ocran, a Housewife.
The four persons are standing trial at an Accra Fast Track Court for their alleged involvement in bribery and corrupt activities in connection with the privatisation of GREL, have pleaded not guilty to their various charges and each of them is on a self-recognisance bail.
Continuing with her evidence under further cross-examination by David Lamptey, counsel for Ayittey, witness disagreed with a suggestion that as a result of the irregular manner in which monies were withdrawn from GREL's accounts, the Police arrested her together with its former Managing Director (MD) and consultant.
Witness said to the best of her knowledge, Etienne Marie Arthur Popeler, former MD of GREL and Dr Albert Owusu-Barnafo, the company's consultant, were not arrested by the Police.
Madam Okaiteye told the court that the three were invited by the Police to give statements. Witness said it was not true that as a result of the irregular manner in which Popeler caused monies to be withdrawn from GREL's coffers, he was dismissed as MD of the company. The case has been adjourned to Thursday, 17 April.
