Saglemi Housing trial: Court gives state 6 weeks to file disclosures

The Criminal Court 2 Division of the Accra High Court has given the State up to six weeks to file its disclosures in the abandoned Saglemi Housing Project trial.

Her ladyship, Elfreda Denkyi ruled in accordance with a prayer made by Chief State Attorney, Evelyn Keelson, to grant the Prosecution time to file the necessary processes.

Former Works and Housing Minister under the Mahama administration, Collins Dauda is standing trial together with four others for allegedly causing financial loss to the State in the controversial housing project.

Minority Spokesperson on Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh in an interview after court proceedings, however, accused the State of selectivity in its prosecution of alleged rot in public office.

“I am saddened. It looks as if in our democracy there is one particular set of rules for one particular people and there is another set of rules for other people. The Minister of Health publicly confessed before parliament that during the Sputnik V deal, he did not have approval from the cabinet and parliament.”

“I believe that they must hurry up and arraign him so that we will see that we are all treated fairly. But if it is heading t only one direction, that is unfortunate, unfair, and can be best described as witch-hunting. If we are pursuing justice, then the Minister of Health must also appear before court.”

He said he expects the State to prosecute Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu in the same spirit, over his handling of the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines at the height of the pandemic.

Mr. Dauda and the four others are facing 52 counts of criminal charges for intentionally misapplying public property, wilfully causing financial loss to the Republic, and dishonestly causing loss to public property.

Alhaji Collins Dauda and his successor Dr. Kwaku Agyeman-Mensah, have been accused of spending over $196 million on the Saglemi housing project when investigations revealed that the cost of works executed on the site, including consultancy services, was about $64,982,900.77.

They were subsequently granted bail.

The third accused person who was a Chief Director at the ministry was also granted bail to the tune of $65 million or its cedi equivalent with three sureties.