In a curious turn of events, Chief Executive Officer of Menzgold Ghana Limited Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM 1) who allegedly used the company to defraud Ghanaians in one of the biggest reported Ponzi schemes, did not show up in court because he was allegedly coughing profusely.
In what some critics claim to be a delay tactic, NAM 1 on Tuesday, July 6, 2021, did not show up in court for his fraud trial.
His lawyers told the presiding judge at the Circuit Court in Accra Her Honour Mrs. Evelyn Asamoah, that his client is “coughing.”
“My Lady, our client is not well. He has been coughing and we have asked him to see the doctors this morning. Our apologies to the court for his absence,” Audry Twum said to the amazement of those present in court.
Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Slyvester Asare, the Prosecutor in the case said the accused has always been in court and for the sake of his absence, he prayed for the case to be adjourned.
The case was eventually adjourned to September 2, 2021, after the parties had approached the bench (judge) upon the prosecutor’s request.
At the last court sitting on May 27, the prosecution was unable to file processes as per the court orders in what is suspected to be an attempt to scuttle the case in favour of NAM 1 who had caused thousands of Ghanaians to lose billions of Ghana cedis.
Earlier, the court had ordered the prosecution to file the necessary processes prior to the May 27 sitting. The court warned it would be forced to strike out the case should the prosecution fail to do so.
But, ASP Asare said, the prosecution was unable to file the processes on time as directed by the court and “we submit that in all humility this is no deliberate attempt to delay this court.”
On March 2, the court warned it would be forced to strike out the case.
The court said it was unhappy about the delay on the part of the prosecution to file the necessary documents to commence the trial.
NAMI was initially charged with abetment of crime, defrauding by false pretences, carrying on a deposit-taking business without a licence, sale of minerals without a licence, unlawful deposit-taking, and money laundering.
It is alleged that the accused had taken various sums of money, totalling GH¢1.6 billion from customers, with the State filing, on June 24, 2020, new charges against the CEO of Menzgold, also known as NAM 1 at the Accra Circuit Court.
The Circuit Court on July 26, 2019, had granted NAM 1 bail for GH¢ 1 billion cedis with five sureties in a case that is reported that NAM 1 had conspired with some faceless individuals in the Akufo Addo administration to dupe the unsuspecting Menzgold customers.