Sherry Ayittey's case adjourned to May 20

Accra, April 26, GNA- An Accra Fast Track Court (FTC), trying Hanny Sherry Ayittey, Treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement, for allegedly receiving 270,000 dollars and 25 million cedis unlawfully from Dr. Albert Owusu Barnafo, a consultant of the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL), on Tuesday adjourned the case to Thursday, May 20.

The court presided over by Mr. Justice J.C. Amonoo-Monney, Appeal Court Judge, sitting on the case as an additional High Court Judge, announced the adjournment following a letter he received from Mr David Lamptey, counsel for the accused person indicating that he was indisposed and pleaded that the case be adjourned.

The court had earlier acquitted Ayittey on three of the six counts, which she was accused of.

The monies Ayittey allegedly received were to influence her on a decision on GREL.

The court had earlier ruled that Sherry, Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) and Ralph Casely-Hayford, a businessman, had a case to answer on various corruption charges, while Sati Dorcas Ocran, a housewife was acquitted for lack of evidence.

Ayittey and Agbodo then decided to take the matter to the Court of Appeal against the decision of the FTC which ordered them to open their defence, while Casely-Hayford declared his intention to open his defence in the case.

After listening to the appeal, the Court of Appeal presided over by Mr. Justice J.B. Akamba, over-ruled the applications for stay of proceedings filed by Ayittey and Agbodo, and asked them to return to the FTC to continue the case.

Agbodo is alleged to have received 15 million cedis from Dr. Barnafo to influence the divestiture of GREL.