Prosecution closes case in Tsikata's trial

Accra, July 18, GNA - Mr Joe Ghartey, Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, on Tuesday completed his address to close the Prosecution's case in the trial in which Tsatsu Tsikata, a Former Chief Executive of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), is accused of causing financial loss to the State.
Shortly after the Attorney-General's address, Major Rowland S. Agbenato (rtd), counsel for Tsikata, told the Fast Track Court (FTC) presided over by Mrs Justice Henrietta Abban, an Appeal Court Judge, sitting as a High Court Judge, that he wanted to react to certain portions of the address, but the Trial Judge said he did not have the right to reply to the address.
Mrs Justice Abban said: "The Court has, however, used its discretion to allow you to respond to the address." She said under normal circumstances the Prosecution read its address first then Defence responded it.
The Trial Judge said only the Prosecution who had the right to react for the second time to the Defence's address. Mr Ghartey in his address said the accused was not authorized to use the funds of public company to acquire shares from a private business.
He said the accused admitted under cross-examination that in October, November and December 1996, he authorized and confirmed certain payments to be made.
"Our case is that the accused is charged with payments in 1996,=94 and not charged with signing guarantee agreement. The Attorney-General stated that the trial was not about a 93trust firm=94 like the Merchant Bank, but concerning powers that were exercised 96 93payments for transaction=94.
He stated that the entirety of Tsatsu's act formed the basis of his prosecution.
Proceedings were adjourned to Wednesday, July 19, for the Defence to respond to the Prosecution's address.