Shocking Revelations At the Mallam Issa Trial

Law students, Court Official, Spectators, and journalists who thronged the Fast Track Court in Accra yesterday to listen to the trial of Mallam Yussif Issa were stunned over series of revelations that emerged at the ongoing trial of the dismissed ex-Minister of Youth and Sports.

The Court was told of how officials at the Ministry of Youth and Sports, presented a bill of ?450 Million for the purchase of footballs from Mr. Kojo Bunso, Director of Ashted, repaired a TV set at the cost of three Million, bought two watch Clocks at the cost of ?500.000, including a bill of ?30 million to repair a score board, and presenting an Accra Stadium Miniature to the ex- Minster as the proposed Olympic Stadium miniature.

The presiding judge Justice Julius Ansah briefly stopped the defense lawyer and issued a direct warning to the amazed packed court to stop murmuring, laughing or jittering so that the proceedings could move fast. Mallam Yusif Issa, charged for stealing and causing financial lost to the State is on bail and had pleaded not guilty to the two charges .

The first shock came when counsel for the defense Mr. Ambrose Derry, questioned one of the six prosecution witnesses, Mr. Daniel Pimi Acting Chief Director of the Ministry of Youth and Sports whether the ex-Minister had an occasion to discuss with him bills on the purchase of footballs at the cost of ?450 million from Adidas Company but the ex-Minister in his routine check only found three footballs available in the Ministry. Mr.Pimi told the Court that the Director of the Ashted was Michel Kojo Bonsu and said that he could not recollect any such discussion between him and the Minister but said that money was not paid.

Ambrose, however, told the prosecution witness that the accused, after discussions with Pimi rejected the bill of ?450 million, and also ordered Mr. Pimi not to sign money more than ?500,000, but the prosecution witness denied it as untrue.

Counsel, also demanded to know from the Prosecution witness whether the accused had blocked an over expenditure of ?30 million bill presented to the ex- minister by the official of the ministry to bring down the Accra sports stadium board for repairs. Adding that Mr.

Pimi told the accused that, he was not in charge of the finance at the Ministry. Mr. Pimi responded that he only know about the repairs of the Kumasi score board. Counsel also asked the prosecution witness whether he recollects that the ex-Minister had an occasion to describe him as incompetent, saying that when the Minister assume office he took his handover notes and the inventory with the prosecution witness to inspect facilities at the office but realised that several items including TV sets and Wall Clocks which were listed in the inventory could not be found in the offices.

Counsel, further told the court that in some of the offices a TV set and Wall clocks could not be located and when he demanded answers he was told that they had taken the TV to repair at the cost of ?3 million. The ex- minister then ordered that they should go and bring the TV because the ?3 million cost for just repairing TV could be used to buy a new TV .Set.

Mr. Pimi denied the allegation saying that the TV was not functioning and they took it for repairs.

Counsel further questioned Mar Pimi why he bought two wall clocks at the cost of ?500 .000; Mr. Pimi responded that the watches were five in number and not two.

Counsel also questioned why the ex-Minister demanded for miniature of the proposed Olympic stadium so that could he show it to some foreigners who were in his office to assist but the prosecution witness brought him miniature which he was later told was Accra Sports Stadium Miniature to his embarrassment. Earlier on, led in his evidence - in chief by the Director of Public Prosecution Mr. Osarfo Sarpong, Pimi said that it was accused who requested that he would take the money to Sudan. Prosecution witness said that while he was in the office of the accused with Mr. Owuso Ansah and other two men, the accused said that since the team was leaving to Sudan and money was not ready he, accused, will bring the money to Sudan to reduce cost. Prosecution witness also told the court that the accused told him that he would pass home before coming to the Airport.

He said that when the accused arrived from his trip he drove straight to the office and asked for the account, and later mentioned that he said that the accused later told him that he lost some of his belonging but did not mention the money.