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The Accra High Court acknowledged Thursday as evidence three caveats in which Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, former chairman of the board of directors of the National Communications Authority (NCA).
He confessed that he and four other defendants had benefited financially from the purchase of a $ 4 million cybersecurity equipment for the state.
According to the reporter, the court chaired by Judge Eric Kyei Baffour said that these three statements made by Baffoe-Bonnie on May 19, 2017 had been made in the presence of his attorney and an independent witness, as the witness said. required the law.
However, the court did not admit three more cautionary statements given by Baffoe-Bonnie on May 9 and 10, 2017 on the grounds that they had been made without the presence of an independent witness, as required by law.
The court's decision was the culmination of a mini-trial to determine the admissibility of six cautionary statements that the prosecution wished to present as evidence.
Objection
On March 5, 2019, Mr. Thaddeus Sory, counsel for Baffoe-Bonnie, rejected the admissibility of the police warning and charged his client's statements that his client and the rest of the defendants would have benefited financially from the purchase of cybersecurity equipment.
Mr. Sory felt that Baffoe-Bonnie made these statements without the presence of a lawyer, while the police did not inform him of his right to a lawyer of his choice.
According to Sory, his client also made statements under duress after being threatened.
The lawyer added that his client had not made the statements in the presence of an independent witness.
The investigator in charge of the case, Detective Inspector Michael Nkrumah, was on the dock and was about to make the police and police warning statement. other statements of Baffoe-Bonnie when Mr. Sory raised the objection.
Sory's objection required the mini-trial.
Accused persons
Mr. Baffoe-Bonnie is on trial with William Tetteh Tevie, former executive director of the NCA; Nana Owusu Ensaw, former member of the board of directors; Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator and businessman, George Derek Oppong.
They are on trial for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of public funds in the amount of US $ 4 million when buying listening devices for national security, sponsored by the NCA.
The defendants have been charged with various counts of indictment for intentionally causing a financial loss of $ 4 million to the state, for theft, collusion, money laundering, among other crimes. ;charge.
They have pleaded not guilty to all charges and are currently on bail in the amount of one million dollars each.
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