Dr Robert Dodoo, former Head of the Civil Service was on Wednesday arraigned before an Accra Circuit Tribunal charged with carelessly causing loss of money to the state.

He allegedly signed for the release of 70 million cedis to a contractor who absconded without executing the installation of two passenger lifts at the Civil Service Annex building in Accra.

William Kofi Partey, a sub contractor of Elevator Engineering Limited who received the money but failed to execute the job has since fled the country.

Dodoo, who pleaded not guilty, was granted 50 million cedis bail with one surety to reappear on October 8.

Police Chief Inspector Kofi Adu told the tribunal chaired by Mr Ziblim Imoru that in 1992, the Greater Accra Regional Tender Board awarded a 600 million-cedi contract to Charkson Construction Company for the construction of a two-storey building as an Annex to the main office of the Head of Civil service.

Chief Inspector Adu said, shortly after Dodoo had assumed office he signed a letter requesting the Minister of Finance to release 70,822,500 cedis to William Kofi Partey of Elevator Engineering Company limited who had won the contract.

The money was paid to the contractor on the strength of the letter but the job was not executed. The prosecution said Dodoo has, however, indicated his willingness to refund the money to government chest since Mr Partey has fled the country.