Judge recuses herself in Kofi Adams; another case

A Circuit Court Judge has recused herself from hearing the case of Arnold Asante, a businessman, who is accused of defrauding Kofi Adams, the National Organiser of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The Judge also recused herself in another case involving the accused for allegedly defrauding a businesswoman of GH¢62,000 under the pretext of acquiring a Range Rover and issuing dud cheque with a face value of GH¢50,000.

The trial Judge, Mrs Janet Harriet Akweley Quaye, held that the defence counsel in the matter had told the Court that a senior Police Prosecutor had informed him that he had held a conference with her (trial judge) over the matter.
 
According to the Court, that could mean that she had compromised her position.

Mrs Quaye said she was going to write to the Chief Justice so the matter would be reassigned to another judge.

In the matter in which Mr Adams is the complainant, the Court was informed by the defence counsel, Dr Maurice Ankrah that his client had not been well since the day the court remanded him into lawful custody.

According to Dr Ankrah the investigator had took Asante to the SSNIT Hospital but he was later transferred to the Korle-Bu Teaching for a spine surgery.

Dr Ankrah pleaded with the Court to allow Asante to undergo the spine surgery abroad.
He said in one of the two cases, Asante had paid part of the money involved and he was left with only GH¢4,000.

The trial judge, however, registered her displeasure with Asante’s attitude, saying the Court had been left in mid-way in the matter, adding that it was not aware of any payment and it was also not recorded in the case docket.
 
Asante is said to have earlier failed to appear before the Court to answer a charge of defrauding by false pretences.

Prosecuting Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Stephen Adjei prayed for a bench warrant to arrest Asante, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Kamsak Limited Ghana.

He is alleged to have defrauded Mr Adams of GH¢840,000.00 with the intent of using the amount to pre-finance a tyres supply contract secured from Goldfields Mining Ghana, at Tarkwa, and refund the money but he refused to do so.

In the second matter, Asante is said to have collected GH¢62,000 from one Benedicta Delali Obiri under the pretext of securing her a Range Rover, but failed.

Asante therefore issued a cheque of GH¢50,000 to Mrs Obiri but the cheque was dishonoured.

Source: GNA