GREL divestiture case adjourned at Counsel's instance

Accra, Jan 13, GNA - The Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) divestiture case, in which three persons are being tried at an Accra Fast Track Court for their alleged involvement in corruption, was on Thursday adjourned to Monday, January 17 at the instance of a Defence Counsel in the case.
A communication from Mr David Lamptey, Counsel for Hanny Sherry Ayittey, Treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement, indicated that he was indisposed and could, therefore, not be in Court.
Consequently, just before proceedings could start, a clerk of the Court announced that the matter stood adjourned to next Monday. Ayittey and two others - Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, Former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC) and Ralph Casely-Hayford, Businessman, have been arraigned for allegedly using their positions to influence GREL's divestiture process in favour of a French company.
They have all pleaded not guilty to their various charges, and the trial judge, Mr Justice J. C. Amonoo-Monney, Appeal Court Judge with an additional responsibility on the case as a High Court Judge, has admitted each of them to a self-recognisance bail.
Mr John-Hanson Senoo and Mr Rodney Heward-Mills are defending Agbodo and Casely-Hayford, respectively, while Mr Osafo Sampong, Director of Public Prosecutions, is representing the State. At the moment, Ayittey is giving her evidence-in-chief, while Agbodo and Casely-Hayford are waiting for their turn to open their defence.