Witness: I saw Banafo give money to accused person

A witness in the case in which four persons are being tried by an Accra Fast Track Court on the privatisation of the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL), on Friday said she saw Dr Owusu Banafo, another prosecution witness, give money to one of the accused persons.

Madam Georgina Okaitei, the seventh prosecution witness, was speaking under cross-examination by Mr Tonny Lithur, Counsel for Sati Dorcas Ocrah, a housewife, who is the fourth accused.

She said did not know how much the money was. Madam Okaitei said Dr Banafo requested her to accompany him to sympathise with Ocrah because she had lost her mother.

Witness said Dr Banafo had told her that he had planned to travel to South Africa and, therefore, needed to make the donation to Ocrah before leaving.

She explained that when they arrived at Ocrah's house, Dr Banafo went to the dining hall with Ocrah, and she stayed with the relatives elsewhere.

Madam Okaitei also said she did not hear what the two of them were discussing but she saw that Dr Banafo gave something to Ocran.

When asked if she found out what was given to Ocran, witness said Dr Banafo later told her that it was money but did not ask how much it was.

Four persons are facing trial for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices during GREL's privatisation exercise.

They are Hanny Sherry Ayittey, treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM), Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, former executive secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), Ralph Casely-Hayford, a businessman and Ocran.

All the four were alleged to have influenced the DIC Board to divest GREL in favour of Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH) of France.

They have denied the charges.

The court, presided over by Mr. Justice J. C. Amonoo-Monney, an Appeal Court Judge, with an additional responsibility on the case as a High Court Judge, has granted each of them self-recognisance bail.

Madam Okaitei told the court that she had known Ocran for over 15 years and visited her.

The court sits again on Tuesday, May 27.