SML trial adjourned to July 30
An Accra High Court has adjourned to July 30, 2026, the criminal case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) and six others.
The adjournment is to await decisions by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court on matters said to have a bearing on the trial.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) informed the court that proceedings at the appellate courts could affect the conduct of the case.
Mr Ofori-Atta, SML and six other accused persons are facing 78 charges, including alleged procurement breaches and causing financial loss to the State amounting to GH¢1.4 billion.
When the case was called, a representative of the OSP recalled that the High Court had earlier declined an application for stay of execution.
The representative said that decision had subsequently been challenged at the Court of Appeal.
The OSP further informed the court that an application for certiorari had been filed at the Supreme Court by Mr Noah Ephraim Adamtey, challenging the constitutionality of the prosecutorial authority of the OSP.
According to the prosecution, the outcome of the proceedings before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal could have implications for the case before the High Court.
Counsel for the accused persons prayed the court to adjourn proceedings pursuant to its discretionary powers under Section 169 of Act 30.
The defence suggested October 8, 2026, as the next hearing date, arguing that the Supreme Court’s decision, which had formed the basis for previous adjournments, was likely to have been delivered by then.
The trial judge, however, adjourned the matter to July 30, 2026, pending the decisions of the appellate courts.
The OSP filed the case and arraigned the accused persons before the High Court on November 18, 2025.
Apart from Mr Ofori-Atta and SML, the accused persons are Mr Ernest Darko Akore, former Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Finance; Mr Emmanuel Kofi Nti, former Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA); Mr Amishaddai Owusu-Amoah, former Commissioner-General of the GRA; Mr Isaac Crentsil and Mr Kwadwo Damoah, both former Commissioners of the Customs Division of the GRA; and Mr Evans Adusei, Chief Executive Officer of SML.
The charges include conspiracy to commit procurement fraud, causing financial loss to the State, use of public office for profit, wilful oppression and entering into an agreement imposing financial commitments on the Government beyond one financial year without prior parliamentary authorisation.
The accused persons have denied the charges and are on bail.
Source: GNA