The Financial and Economic Division (2) of the Accra High Court has stated that judgement in the trial involving Abuga Pele, former National Youth Employment (NYEP) Coordinator, and Phillip Assibit, who are accused of causing financial loss to the state to the tune of GH¢4.1 million, will be delivered in February, next year.
Mrs. Justice Effia Serwah Asare-Botwe, Presiding Judge, gave the indication yesterday when Assibit, the Managing Director of Goodwill International Group, one of the companies engaged by the Ministry of Youth and Sports to provide consultancy services under the NYEP, ended his evidence in chief.
The NYEP was formerly known as the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA).
The judge urged the Attorney-General (A-G), being represented by Principal State Attorney, Marina Opare Appiah, and lawyers for the accused, to ensure an expeditious trial.
Led in evidence by his lawyer, Mr. Kweku Bentil, the witness, told the court that payment approval for services he provided to the government was sanctioned by the audit, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Mr. Clement Humado and the Chief Director of the ministry.
He described as untrue assertions by the former Youth and Sports Minister, and Dr. Shaibu Ahmed Gariba of the Management Development and Productivity Institute (MDPI), who testified that they knew nothing about the payment approval and the consultancy services he (Assibit) rendered.
In his submission, lawyer for Mr. Pele, Mr. Abu Juan, hinted he would invite another witness.
Assibit has pleaded not guilty to six counts of defrauding by false pretences and five counts of dishonestly causing financial loss to public property.
Pele, who is alleged to have allegedly acted in a manner resulting in the loss of GH¢4.1 million to the state, also pleaded not guilty to two counts of abetment of crime and intentionally misapplying public property and five counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state.
The other prosecution witnesses were Alhaji Nuru Hamidan and Mohammed Pelpuo, formerly of GYEEDA, Ms. Gladys Ghartey of the then Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, Mr. Humado, and Dr. Gariba of MDPI and Mr. Eric Suni, an internal auditor.
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