Charles Bissue
The High Court in Accra has struck out 24 of the 53 paragraphs in the witness statement of an investigative journalist testifying in the alleged corruption case against Charles Bissue.
The High Court has described the rejected paragraphs as “hearsay evidence.”
The alleged corruption case is against the former Secretary to the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), and two other accused persons.
The decision by the court followed objections by lawyers for the accused, who described the 24 paragraphs as hearsay evidence.
Benjamin Adjapong, an undercover investigator with Tiger Eye P.I. and a member of the team that conducted the “Galamsey Fraud” investigation, is testifying in-camera (privately) before the High Court.
In his 53-paragraph witness statement, which he is to rely on as his evidence-in-chief, defence lawyers objected to paragraphs 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 31, 32, 35, 42, 43, 51, 52 and 53 on grounds of hearsay.
On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, trial judge, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay, upheld the objections to all 24 paragraphs.
The ruling means Adjapong cannot rely on those paragraphs in his testimony.
Mr. Bissue, together with Raphael Mensah, former Systems Manager of the GalamStop software, and Dr. Naa Dedei Tagoe, former Project Coordinator of the IMCIM, have all pleaded not guilty to eight counts relating to corruption and corruption-related offences.
Mr. Bissue faces six counts of corruption and abuse of public office under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), as amended by Act 1034.
While Mr. Mensah and Dr. Tagoe have each been charged with abetment of corruption and use of public office for profit, contrary to sections 20(1) and 179C(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The case has been adjourned to June 11, 2026, for continuation.
By Emmanuel Opoku