Accra, Nov. 28, – An Accra
Circuit Court was unable to commence hearing into the case of two Civil
Engineers of Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development who allegedly
took GH₵3,000.00 as bribes in
order to award contract to an anti-corruption campaigner.
This was because the substantive
Prosecutor DSP George Amegah was in another court and a witness who was to give
evidence was also stuck in Buipe in the Northern Region due to the
rehabilitation of a bridge in the region.
Chief Inspector Georgina Sabi who
held brief for the prosecution told the court presided over by Mr Aboagye
Tandoh on Tuesday.
Mr Kasim Muniru and Mr Bernard
Owiredu Donkor represented the engineers namely Benjamin Bampoh and Francis
Kwadwo Torsoo.
The court at its last sitting
ordered prosecution to get ready with their witnesses for hearing to start
today.
The matter was therefore
adjourned to December 12.
It further directed that the
substantive Prosecutor must endeavour to be in court at the next sitting.
Bampoh and Torsoo are said to
have collected GH₵2,000.00 and
GH₵1,000.00 respectively from
the anti-corruption campaigner.
They have been charged with
conspiracy and corruption by a public officer.
The two have pleaded not guilty
and the court presided over by Mr Aboagye Tandoh has admitted them to bail in
the sum of GH₵30,000.00 with a
surety each.
DSP Amegah said Saka Salia, a
farmer and an anti- corruption campaigner, the complainant is resident in Accra
whiles the accused persons are attached to the Department of Urban Roads at
Tema Metro and New Juaben Assembly respectively.
The prosecution said in May this
year, Mr Saka received series of reports that that accused persons have been
using their offices to amass wealth by awarding urban road contracts to persons
after taking huge sums of money from them depending on the value of the
contract.
To ascertain the truth or
otherwise, Mr Saka and other witnesses visited the office of Bampoh at Tema
Metro Urban Roads Office.
The prosecution said at a meeting
with Bampoh in his office he convinced the complainant he can with Torsoo who
is at the new Juaben Assembly could secure him and other witnesses lucrative
contracts to construct some urban roads provided ” they do something,”” by
parting with some monies.
Bampoh demanded and collected GH₵2,000.00 and referred them to
Torsoo to award some contracts at the New Juaben Municipal Assembly.
DSP Amegah said Bampoh arranged
for a meeting between Torsoo, the complainant and other witnesses at African
Regency Hotel in Accra.
At the meeting Torsoo promised
them to award a contract. Bampoh and Torsoo and told the complainant that due
to the strict measures put in place by the Director of Urban Roads they were
going to hatch a plan to neutralise him to pave way for the contracts.
The Prosecution said the accused
have meanwhile admitted taking money from the complainant but explained that
the money was a gift.
GNA
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