By Beatrice Oppon
The High Court in Accra has adjourned to November 9, 2023, to start the trial of two former Ministers of Works and Housing Alhaji Collins Dauda and Kweku Agyeman Mensah, and three others over the Saglemi Affordable Housing project.
The State will call its first prosecution witness to testify on that day.
The three other accused persons are a former Chief Director at the Ministry Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, Executive Chairman of Construtora OAS, a Brazilian company which constructed the affordable housing project at Saglemi, Andrew Clocanas, and a director of RMS Nouvi Tetteh Angelo.
They are facing trial for their alleged involvement in the 200 million dollars Housing Project scandal and are facing 70 charges.
Principal State Attorney Hilda Craig informed the Court that the State has complied with directives to file additional disclosures requested by the Defence Counsel.
The Defence, however, contended that Prosecution has not fully satisfied that order.
The Defence Lawyers said their request to be furnished with Interim Payment Certificates and Minutes of Weekly Site Meetings have not been fulfilled by the Prosecution.
The Prosecution noted that it attached just a summary of those Certificates. Madam Craig explained that minutes of site meetings are bulky and not part of the case of the prosecution but the State can give the defence access if they insist.
The Court set timelines for the trial, beginning November 9.
The case is expected to be heard twice a week.