"There are inconsistencies in prosecution's case" - Counsel

A defence counsel in the Quality Grain trial, on Monday urged the Fast Track Court not to call any of the six accused persons to open a defence because there were "inconsistencies" in evidence adduced by prosecution witnesses.

Mr Samuel Kodjoe, Counsel for the first accused, Ibrahim Adam, former Minister of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), said the prosecution has not established any charge against the accused persons.

Mr Kodjoe was making a submission of "no case" for the six persons, who are charged with conspiracy and wilfully causing financial loss to the state.

The prosecution rested its case last week and the defence applied to the court to make submissions of "no case" for their clients.

Counsel said it was on record that three prosecution witnesses gave conflicting figures on the value of equipment and general expenditure of the Quality Grain Company's rice project at Aveyime in the Volta Region.

Two of them, who were members of the investigating team, which probed the operations of the company in 1998, gave different valuation reports of the project to "confuse the court".

Mr Kodjoe said the other witness, an expert in rice production from the United States, also gave different reports on the same project. Counsel said the defence and the Court, therefore, found it difficult to believe that evidence.

He said from the totality of evidence on record, the prosecution has failed to prove that the accused persons intended to cause financial loss to the state.

Mr Kodjoe said it is rather the prosecution, who has shown through its witnesses that the accused persons took precautionary measures to ensure that loans granted to the Managing Director of the company, Mrs Juliet Woodard Cotton for the project were put into good use.

The other accused persons are, Kwame Peprah, former Finance Minister, Dr Samuel Dapaah, Dr George Yankey, Nana Ato Dadzie and Kwesi Ahwoi, all former senior public officials.

They have all pleaded not guilty and each of them is on a self-recognisance bail. Hearing continues on Tuesday, November 6.