Prosecution to file documents to rely on in top banker’s money laundering trial
A Circuit Court in Accra has directed the prosecution in the case in which former defunct Beige Capital boss is being held for stealing and money laundering, to file documents they intend to rely on for the trial.
The court further directed the prosecution to ensure the accused Michael Nyinaku and his lawyers were served with those documents by the next adjourned date.
The court presided over by Mr. Emmanuel Essandoh made the orders after the accused person’s lawyer, Baffour Gyawu Bonsu Ashia had prayed the court for pre- trial disclosures in relation to the trial.
This would enable them to prepare and put up their defence.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Emmanuel Nyamekye assured the court that they would serve the accused persons and his lawyer documents they intend to rely and same would be filed at the Court’s registry.
The court adjourned the matter to February 5.
Nyinaku who is facing the charges of stealing GH¢340 million allegedly belonging to depositors and money laundering has denied the charges.
The court has admitted him to bail in the sum of GH¢342 million with two sureties who are public servants earning not less than GH¢2,000.
It further directed the accused to deposit his passport with the Court’s Registry.
According to the prosecution, ASP Nyamekye, in 2017, the BEIGE Group acquired a 90 per cent stake in a savings and loans company known as First African Savings and Loans (FASL) for $2.5 million.
According to him, as part of the transaction, an account known as the FASL Operational Account was opened at the BEIGE Bank.
He said as of the time the BEIGE Bank went into receivership, the said account had about GH¢12 million in it, which was known to the leadership of FASL.
He said the BEIGE Bank secretly opened another account in the name of FASL, which it used to channel funds to its entities and cronies.
“The withdrawals from the false FASL account were at the behest of Michael Nyinaku,” the prosecution said.
The prosecution further told the court that the said false FASL account had funds close to GH¢340.94 million when it was initially opened, but some of the money was later transferred.
ASP Nyamekye added that the leadership of FASL was not aware of the second account in its name.
He said some of the companies he caused the tranfers to made to included Beige Academy, Beige Assure, Bidwest Micro Finanace,, Adelia limited,, Legacy Pennsion, DYI Limited, Beige Capital Limited among others and individuals like Nnana Efia Evelyn Kyei and Godwin Nnordjo.
The Prosecution told the court that other investigations some aspects of the case were ongoing to unravel many related issues to it.
Source: GNA