The former Chief Director of the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, has pleaded not guilty to 43 counts of willfully causing financial loss to the Republic and issuing of false certificates.
He has since asked the court presided over by Justice Ernest Owusu-Dapaah, a Justice of the Court of Appeal sitting as an additional High Court judge to proceed with the trial without him.
“I will allow my lawyer to stand in for me during the trial,” he said, adding that “So the trial should proceed without me,” Alhaji Ziblim told the Court after activating Article 19(2)(f) of the 1992 Constitution.
Alhaji Yakubu, the third accused person has been charged together with four others including two former ministers – Alhaji Collins Dauda (1st Accused) and Dr Kweku Agyeman-Mensah (2nd Accused) were slapped with 70 charges in the Saglemi Affordable Housing case.
The other two accused persons are – Andrew Clocanas, Executive Chairman of Construtora OAS Ghana Limited (4th Accused) and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo, Chief Executive Officer and owner of Ridge Management Solutions Ghana Limited, (5th Accused).
The former Chief Director, said to have been struck by “mild stroke” and appeared in court in a Wheelchair after 48 hours summons on Monday, pleaded not guilty to a 36 combined charges with Alhaji Collins Dauda, Dr Agyeman-Mensah, Albert Clocanas and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo and seven separate charges.
In all, he respond to 43 charges which comprised of 25 counts of Willfully 25 causing financial loss and and 18 counts of Issuing of false certificate.
Before his appearance in court, his lawyers led by Godwin Kudzo Edudzie Tamakloe told the court that, following the amended charge sheet moved by the State on January 24, this year, Alhaji Yakubu had since suffered “mild stroke and cannot walk unsupported.”
Earlier Alhaji Collins Dauda, Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, also a former Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing; Andrew Clocanas, Executive Chairman of Construtora OAS Ghana Limited and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo, Chief Executive Officer and owner of Ridge Management Solutions Ghana Limited had denied their individual charges.
In court on Wednesday, June 7, Alhaji Yakubu and Alhaji Collins Dauda both denied one count of willfully causing financial loss to the Republic.
The former Chief Director and Dr Agyeman-Mensah also denied 18 counts of willfully causing financial loss while together with Andrew Clocanas pleaded not guilty to eight counts of issuing false certificate.
Together with Nouvi Tetteh Angelo, who is the fifth accused person, they pleaded not guilty to nine counts of issuing false certificates.
He separately denied six counts of willfully causing financial loss to the Republic and one count of of issuing false certificates.
EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, who was in court reports that the heath condition of the Alhaji Yakubu was taken into consideration and has elected in court to allow his lawyer conduct the case for him in his absence.
The suit has been adjourned to June 12 for Case Management Conference and case management completion plan while the Prosecution has been directed to ensure that the remaining witness statements are filed.
Background
Alhaji Collins Dauda, the former Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing and four others have been slapped with 70 charges of for causing financial loss to the state over the Saglemi Affordable Housing project.
Alhaji Collins Dauda, together with Dr. Kwaku Agyemang-Mensah, a former Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing; Alhaji Ziblim Yakubu, Chief Director at the Ministry for Water Resources, Works and Housing, contributed to the Saglemi Housing deal when it was prepared and signed.
Also playing part are businessman Andrew Clocanas, Executive Chairman of Construtora OAS Ghana Limited and Nouvi Tetteh Angelo, Chief Executive Officer and owner of Ridge Management Solutions Ghana Limited.
The charges include, Willfully Causing Financial loss to the Republic and intentionally misapplying public property.
While Alhaji Collins Dauda and three others were present Alhaji Zeblim Yakutia, the third accused was absent and he was said to be unwell per medical report to the court.
Alhaji Collins Dauda, a former Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing who doubles as NDC MP for Asutifi South in the Ahafo Region, and four others are involved in the $200 million Saglemi Housing Project scandal.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com/Murtala Inusah
