The Fast Track Court has ruled that former deputy Finance Minister, Victor Selormey, can tender in evidence a CD-ROM and a contract he signed with a US-based Ghanaian consultant, Dr Frederick Owusu-Boadu for the Court computerisation Programme. The court's ruling followed an application by defense counsel for stay of proceedings pending an appeal against the court's earlier decision not to allow the CD-ROM and a contract signed by Selormey and Dr. Boadi to be tendered in evidence.
The court presided over by Justice Sam Baddoo said since the defense’s bone of contention was over the two items, it was giving Mr. Selormey the opportunity to prepare his defence by allowing the CD-rom and the contract document into evidence.
Selormey is answering charges of conspiracy and fraudulently causing the loss of about $1.2 million dollars to the state. He has pleaded not guilty and is on a 1.5 billion Cedis bail with two sureties to be justified.
Justice Baddoo said it was on record that only Selormey and Dr Owusu-Boadu signed the contract and since Dr Owusu-Boadu had failed to appear before the court, Selormey was the only person who could answer questions on it.
He said the essence of the ruling was to expedite the trial to save the time of sending the matter to the Court of Appeal. Mr. Johnny Quashie-Idun, leading counsel for Selormey, however, differed with the court and preferred that the items be tendered through any of the three defense witnesses, including two Appeal Court Judges who testified that the CD-ROM was "superb" when Dr Owusu-Boadu demonstrated it uses to them.
Counsel said he was surprised by the court's decision to allow Mr. Selormey to tender the CD-ROM in evidence because the defence wanted the items to be tendered through any of the witnesses who had testified on them. He, therefore, applied to the court to grant him time to "digest" the ruling to determine the next line of action. The court obliged and adjourned to Friday, August 17.
