Accra, Feb. 7, GNA - The investigating panel of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) investigating allegations of abuse of office and corruption against Dr Richard Anane, Minister of Road Transport, would call 10 witnesses in the public hearing of the matter.

Dr P.E. Bondzie-Simpson, counsel for the Commission, said this at its sitting on Tuesday in response to an enquiry by Mr Jacob Acquah-Sampson, leading counsel for Dr Anane, as to how many witnesses the Panel would summon to testify.

Dr Anane made his maiden appearance before the Panel on Tuesday, January 17, over three allegations of corruption, abuse of office and conflict of interest.

When the matter came up for hearing on Tuesday, Dr Anane was absent and Mr Acquah-Sampson formally notified the Panel that his client had travelled to Cape Coast with President John Agyekum Kufuor for the People's Assembly.

Mr Raymond Archer, Managing Editor of the Enquirer Newspaper, who is billed to appear before the Panel as the first witness, was also not present.

Counsel for the Commission said he was not happy about Mr Archer's absence and, therefore, put in an application for him to be subpoenaed to appear before the Panel on Wednesday.

In response, Ms Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner of CHRAJ and chair of the three-member Panel, said it was deferring ruling on the application to Wednesday to enable Mr Archer to have one more chance to appear before it with a statement he was requested to submit. Consequently, the Panel adjourned proceedings to enable both Dr Anane and Mr Archer to be present.