An Accra Circuit court has warned the prosecution in the case of Chief Executive Officer of defunct Gold dealership firm, Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah, to present something substantial to the court or have it struck out.
The court presided over by, Evelyn Mensah, gave the warning after prosecution led by ASP Sylvester Asare told the court that he has instructions from the Attorney-General to plead with the court to adjourn the case and not take the plea of Nana Appiah Mensah, popularly known as NAM 1 while the docket is being worked on.
The court did not take it lightly with the prosecution’s excuses citing it as cause why the trial is not progressing.
The judge warned that this is the last time she will take such excuses.
According to the Judge if they fail to come to court with anything substantial on the case at the next adjourned date, she will discharge the accused person.
Nana Appiah Mensah is in court facing charges of money laundering, unlawful deposit-taking and sale of minerals. Additional charges of about 61 were also leveled against him last year.
The plea of the accused person has since not been taken and prosecution keeps coming to court with the excuse of the dockets being worked on by the AG’s office.
Until the AG’s advise on the docket is received for the next line of action to be made known by the prosecution, the trial cannot progress.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in September 2018 asked Menzgold to cease its gold derivative business as that amounted to deposit-taking, which it was not licensed to do. Since then NAM 1, has been battling with ways to pay hundreds of Menzgold customers who are demanding their locked up cash.
The case has been adjourned to the 7th of April, 2020.