Elsie Dansoa Kyereh, Duffuor II and COO, Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis, Kwadwo Opoku Okoh, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, Benjamin Ofori

Unibank case: Court strikes out old charges against Kwabena Duffuor, others, fresh ones filed

On June 18, 2020, 11:48 AM

The Accra High court has struck out old charges against Dr Kwabena Duffuor and eight others standing trial for the collapse of unibank.

The founder of the now-defunct uniBank, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor, was facing 68 counts on charges of fraudulent breach of trust, money laundering, dishonestly receiving and falsification of accounts.

But at the commercial division of the High Court, the prosecution led by Yvonne Atakorah, prayed for the old charges filed in March to be dropped.

The prosecution pleaded that they are amending some portions of the charge sheet with a new one to be filed.

Having listened to their plea, the court of appeal judge, Justice Philip Bright Mensah, withdrew the old charges.

Striking it out, the judge said, “all the accused persons are discharged of the old charges but their plea will be taken for the new charges.”

The court is currently hearing the new charges.

Dr Duffour is now facing 71 charges. He pleaded not guilty to the new charges he is currently facing.

The case has been adjourned to July 16 and 17 respectively.

STATE’S FACT SHEET : Who did what in alleged blow up of GH¢5.7bn uniBank cash

Background

Dr Kwabena Duffuor, Dr Johnson Pandit Asiama and six others have been charged with 68 counts for the collapse of uniBank and UT bank.

The A-G accused Dr Duffuor, who was a shareholder of uniBank, of contributing to the collapse of the bank.

Dr Duffuor was said to have dishonestly received GH₵663.28 million from the bank.

It is also the case of the A-G that even though uniBank was in financial distress, Dr Asiama allegedly used his position as the Second Deputy Governor of the BoG to approve the transfer of GH¢300 million, which was an unsecured credit facility from uniBank to the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB).

Dr Asiama has been charged with willfully causing financial loss to the state and contravention of the Bank of Ghana Act, 2002 (Act 612).

The other accused persons in the collapse of uniBank are Dr Kwabena Duffuor II, a son of Dr Duffuor, who was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of uniBank; Ekow Nyarko Dadzie-Dennis, the Chief Operating Officer of the bank; Elsie Dansoa Kyereh, the Executive Head of Corporate Banking; Jeffery Amon, a Senior Relationship Manager; Kwadwo Opoku Okoh, the Financial Control Manager, and Benjamin Ofori, the Executive Head of Credit Risk at the bank.

They have been charged with various counts of fraudulent breach of trust, money laundering and conspiracy to commit crime.

All the accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Story By Gloria KAFUI Ahiable / info@theghanareport.com