For the first time in the ongoing Quality Grain trial, the name of former president Rawlings has been mentioned.
Deputy Executive Director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), told the fast track court that during investigations, he was informed by Dr. George Sipa Yankey, the fourth accused that ex-president Rawlings gave a note to Mrs. Juliet Renee Cotton, managing director of Quality Grain Incorporated of USA, authorising Kwame Peprah and him (Yankey) to guarantee a loan of two million dollars for her.
Answering questions under cross-examination, the Principal Prosecution witness, said in the course of his investigations, he had a hint that Mrs Cotton was in the office of Dr. Yankey at the ministry of finance purposely to source for the two million dollar-loan.
According to witness, even though Mrs. Cotton requested for the loan during an earlier meeting at the Castle, the government rejected it based on the grounds that it was not necessary.
Based on this fact, witness said he was surprised to have learnt that Mrs. Cotton had gone to Dr. Yankey seeking for the same loan, which had earlier been rejected.
The investigator told the court that he met Mrs. Cotton coming out from a lift on his arrival at the Ministry of Finance. Witness proceeded to Dr. Yankey’s office to enquire about the mission of Mrs. Cotton since to the best of his knowledge; she had nothing to do with the two-million-dollar loan again. Mrs. Cotton also entered the office few minutes later and took a seat.
Dr. Yankey then speaking “Fante” (a local Ghanaian dialect) explained to the investigator that the woman has brought a note from then president (Rawlings) for help even though then Finance Minister, Peprah and himself had decided that government could not grant any more loans to her.
Asked by counsel for Dr. Yankey, David Lamptey whether as an investigator, he (witness) cross-checked this story, from former president Rawlings, Mr. Cudjoe answered “No”. Counsel therefore suggested to witness that the story could not be true since it was not supported by evidence.
Counsel also told the court that none of the accused persons including his client did anything wrong to be charged before the court. He further claimed that Mr. Cudjoe, who is the head of the investigations, did not do proper investigations because his evidence that Mrs. Cotton misappropriated part of the loan was not true. According to Counsel, Mr. Cudjoe was merely making deductions from some documents he had from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the FBI which are all fraudulent.
When asked for his perception about Mrs. Cotton, the investigator said from his investigations, Mrs Cotton is arrogant and rude. In witness own words: “Mrs Cotton had her feet stepping on something,” adding, she was “dishonest and could talk to public servants anyhow.”
Counsel for the second accused, Dr. Samuel Dapaah, Nene Amegatcher told the court that witness decided to charge his client because he (witness) was not happy about the way his client spoke to him on telephone.
