Trial of Abodakpi, Selormey continues

A Prosecution Witness on Monday told an Accra Fast Track Court that he received a letter from the Ministry of Trade and Industry requesting payment for a proposed study into the creation of the Science and Technology Community Park.

Wilberforce Tackie Nunoo, a former clerk at the Ministry of Finance, said the letter dated December 19, 2000 was received on the same day and was signed by Daniel Abodakpi, Ex-Minister of Trade and Industry.

Mr Nunoo, now Senior Security Officer, was giving evidence in the case in which Abodakpi and Victor Selormey, former Deputy Minister of Finance, are standing trail for causing financial loss to the state.

They are facing seven counts of conspiracy to commit crime, defrauding by false pretences and wilfully causing a loss of 2.73 billion cedis to the State.

They have denied all the charges and are on self-recognisance bail in the sum of three billion cedis each.

The Witness said when he received the letter he stamped it, gave it a number and logged it in a receipt notebook and forwarded it to the Mr Selormey's secretary.

Miss Eva Mends, another Prosecution Witness, said she was a Desk Officer for the United States, Canada and Denmark at the Ministry of Finance.

She said she was involved in the negotiation and management of loans and aid.

Witness said she was aware of the Trade and Investment Programme (TIP) that was aimed at supporting institutions involved in trade. She said the TIP began in 1992 and ended in 1998.

She said before TIP took off, an agreement was signed by Mr Kenneth Brown, a representative of the US government and Dr Kwesi Botchwey, Ex-Minister of Finance and Economic Planning.

Mr Charles Hayibor, counsel for Abodakpi, asked for an adjournment to enable him to study the agreement well in order to cross-examine the Witness.