Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), on Wednesday made changes to the charge sheet in the case at an Accra Fast Track Court (FTC) in which Hanny Sherry Ayittey and three others are standing trial for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices during the divestiture of the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL).
Between 1996 and 1998, Ayittey and the three, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), Ralph
Casely-Hayford, businessman and Satirieh Dorcas Ocran, housewife, allegedly accepted bribes to influence certain public officials to divest GREL in favour of Societe Industrielle Plantation Herea, a French company.
Ayittey, for instance, allegedly received huge sums of money as presents from Dr Albert Owusu-Banarfo, consultant, to influence GREL's divestiture in favour of the French company. In August 1996, Agbodo was alleged to have received 25 million cedis from Dr Owusu-Banarfo for that same purpose.
In September that same year, Casely-Hayford allegedly accepted bribes totalling 70 million cedis to influence Mr Dan Abodakpi, then Minister of Trade and Industry and DIC Board Member, in divesting GREL.
Ocran was alleged to have acted in collaboration with Ayittey to influence GREL's divestiture. After pleading not guilty to their respective charges of corruption, Mr Justice JC Amonoo-Monney, the trial judge, asked all the four accused persons to remain on their former self-recognisance bail bonds.
Mr Justice Amonoo-Monney, an Appeal Court Judge, sitting on the case as an additional High Court Judge, said in view of the new development, it was expedient to allow defence counsel to study the fresh charge sheet and, therefore, adjourned proceedings to Thursday.
