Suspend prosecution of NAM 1 – Menzgold customers petition AG

A coalition of aggrieved customers of minerals trading company, Menzgold Ghana Limited, has urged the Attorney General to cease the prosecution of Nana Appiah Mensah, the company’s CEO.

In a petition, the group calling itself the Coalition of Aggrieved Customers of Menzgold, said: “the welfare of the customers should supersede every other decision by the state.”

“In our view as a Coalition, the State has the power to delay criminal case against NAM1 and rather work to ensure that thousands of Ghanaian citizens whose investment are locked up are paid.”

“There should not be a rush to prosecute him when suffering customers who have been rendered homeless, induced abject poverty, more than 20 already dead and others still sick and bed ridden; do not know how the money could be paid.”

The coalition had hoped that the government would set up a joint committee as it had demanded to ensure the payments.

The group thus said it was alarmed when it heard the state was moving with prosecution instead of  adhering to “the call to set up a joint committee.”

Mr. Appiah Mensah has been charged with two counts of abetment to defraud by false pretence and two counts of abetment to carry out banking business without a licence, contrary to Section 6 (1) of the Banks and Specialised Deposit-taking Institutions Act.

He was remanded in Police custody by an Accra Circuit court and his case has been adjourned to July 26, 2019.

According to Mr. Appiah Mensah’s charge sheet, he has been accused of defrauding 16,001 customers of about GHc1.68 billion.

Prior to his arrival, the Menzgold CEO had spent six months in police custody in the United Arab Emirates due to a criminal case brought against him by a private company in the middle eastern country.

In the petition, the group reiterated its demand for a joint committee that will comprise nominated members from its group, legislators, and Government officials “with compelling or statutory powers to work toward the payment of our money.”