Accra, June 23, GNA – A High Court in Accra has turned down the repayment plan by Daniel Duku, a former Chief Executive of the Venture Capital Trust Fund (VCTF), and two others, to refund a total of GH¢20million to the State.
The two are Irene Anti-Mensah, who was his Executive Assistant at the VCTF, and Frank Aboagye Mensah, Irene’s husband.
This is the second time the court has rejected the agreement, reached between accused persons and the State.
The Court, presided over by Mr Justice Anthony Oppong, a Court of Appeal Judge, sitting with additional responsibility as a High Court Judge, said it was not impressed with the agreement plan to refund the money to the State.
It was totally unacceptable for the accused persons to pay the monies in bits over a three month-period, he emphasised.
The Court, therefore, exercised its rights by rejecting the payment plan for the trial to commence.
He, consequently, adjourned the matter to July 3 for the case management conference.
Duku and two accused persons who are facing charges for causing financial loss to the State, had engaged the Attorney General’s office to jointly refund the money, in accordance with Section 35 of the Courts Act.
They opted to plead guilty to a total of about 42 charges levelled against them and refund the money they allegedly siphoned from the State.
This would have enabled them to escape a custodial sentence.
However, the Court at the previous sitting, rejected the payment plan, saying it did not conform to the requirements of the law and did not meet international best practices.
Justice Oppong also pointed out that on the face of the agreement, there was no indication that the accused persons fully understood what they had signed for.
He explained that the agreement was basically a plea bargain, therefore, the accused persons must be made aware of the charges, which would be dropped against them, whether the prosecution, as a compromise, would also drop other charges or not, whether they would not have a right to appeal or not, among other issues.
GNA