The High Court in Accra has scheduled October 13, 2025, for the commencement of trial in the case involving the alleged unauthorized disbursement of $2 million toward Ghana’s now-defunct Sky Train project.
Two former senior officials of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) are at the centre of the case: Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi, who served as Board Chairman, and Solomon Asamoah, the former Chief Executive Officer. Both are facing charges related to causing financial loss to the state in connection with the failed transport initiative.
At a pre-trial hearing held on Wednesday, defence lawyers moved a formal application requesting the prosecution to disclose specific documents they argue are vital to mounting a proper defence.
Victoria Barth, representing Solomon Asamoah, submitted that the minutes of board and committee meetings—particularly those concerning investment decisions and internal approvals—could prove whether the disbursement had legal backing.
“These documents are not peripheral,” she told the court. “They go directly to the heart of our defence. The prosecution appears to have selectively disclosed only the records that support its narrative while ignoring others that may indicate that due processes were followed.”
Barth emphasized that the prosecution had a duty to provide all relevant documents under its control, especially if they could contain exculpatory material beneficial to the defence’s case.
Duke Aaron Sasu, counsel for Prof. Akumfi, fully supported the submissions, urging the court to compel the prosecution to make the requested documents available to both defence teams.
However, Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai opposed the motion, arguing that the documents requested were not part of the evidence gathered during investigations and were not in the custody of either the prosecution or the investigative team.
“We cannot be ordered to disclose what we do not have,” Dr. Srem-Sai argued. “The principle of disclosure applies only to material in the possession of the prosecution. If these documents exist elsewhere, the defence has other lawful means to obtain them.”
After hearing arguments from both sides, the presiding judge ruled that there was insufficient evidence to suggest that the documents in question were in the possession or control of the prosecution.
The court therefore declined to grant the disclosure request, but noted that the defence could pursue the materials through alternative legal procedures.
The trial is expected to proceed with hearings twice a week, with each sitting lasting three hours.
The prosecution is set to call Yaw Dame Darkwa, a former board member of GIIF, as its first witness when proceedings begin in October.
