Ghana's former sports minister appeared in court on Monday charged with stealing $46,000 dollars wich he says he lost in a suitcase while on his way to pay the national soccer team.
Mallam Yusuf Ali Issah was dismissed after just 30 days in the job following the loss of the money, which was meant to pay Ghana's Black Stars after a World Cup qualifying match against Sudan in March.
Issah pleaded not guilty and was granted bail to reappear on May 14.
He says he put the money in a small suitcase which his assistant checked into the cargo hold of the aircraft. He accuses unnamed officials of the sports ministry of tampering with the case.
"He did not steal the money, though we accept the loss of the money to the state," Issah's lawyer, Nuhu Billa, told the court.