Accra, June 1, GNA - The Defence Counsel in the case in which Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, a former first lady and five others are accused of wilfully causing financial loss to the State, on Friday demanded the substitution of charges preferred against its clients at a Fast Track High Court in Accra.

Mr. Tony Luther, one of the Counsels for the accused persons stated: "We have come to court today to have a substitution of the charge sheet first".

The other five accused persons are Emmanuel Amuzu Agbodo, a former Executive Secretary of the Divestiture Implementation Committee (DIC), Thomas Benson Owusu, a former Accountant of the DIC, Kwame Peprah, a former Minister of Finance and former Chairman of the DIC, Sherry Ayittey, Managing Director of Carridem Development Company Limited, property of the December Women's Movement and Carridem as an entity. The accused persons are facing charges including conspiracy, causing financial loss to public property, conspiracy to obtain public property by false statement and obtaining public property by false statement.

They have all denied the offences and have been admitted to self-recognisance bail.

On May 28, 2007, Mrs. Gertrude Aikins, Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) announced the review of the multiple charges, which were subsequently reduced to nine and were also to be substituted. As a result of the review, Georgina Okaitey, General Manager, Larry Adjetey, Secretary and George Mould, Director, all of Carridem were discharged at the instance of the Prosecution.

Thomas Benson Owusu, one of the accused and his Counsel were absent from court and the trial judge, Mr. Baffoe Bonnie cautioned that next time he would issue a bench warrant for his arrest. The judge remarked at a point that there was indication that Mr. Luther was not prepared to start proceedings but the DPP indicated that she was ready to start the trial, adding: "I have all my witnesses ready".

Sympathizers including the Former President, Mr. Jerry John Rawlings, the mother of Nana Konadu and Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, former running mate for the NDC presidential candidate were at the court to support the accused persons. The accused persons were alleged to have caused loss to public property running into billions of cedis, following the acquisition of the GIHOC Cannery at Nsawam, by Caridem Development Company Limited, which was owned by the 31st December Women's Movement (DWM) in 1995 when the cannery was divested. The Prosecution had stated that the accused persons failed to complete interest payment, which accrued on the purchase price of the cannery, adding: "For that matter they had caused financial loss to the State".