Dr. Johnson P. Asiama
A Court of Appeal judge, Justice Bright Mensah, has expressed worry over the decision by the former second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), Dr. Johnson P. Asiama, to travel to Nigeria at the time the country has recorded cases of the deadly coronavirus (COVID-19) which has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Dr. Asiama who is on trial together with some five others for allegedly causing financial loss to the state had applied for his passport which he deposited with the court registrar as part of his bail conditions.
Appearing before the court yesterday, his lawyer, Simon Alimley, although did not state the reason for his client’s trip, indicated that it had become very important for Dr. Asiama to make the trip.
However, the judge expressed concern about the increasing cases of the virus and was particularly concerned about Dr. Asiama’s health, as well as that of the public.
Although the state did not oppose the application for his passport to be released, Hilda Craig, a Senior State Attorney, stated that “we have been magnanimous enough not to oppose the application.”
She then suggested that Dr. Asiama should quarantine himself for a few days upon his return.
Justice Mensah released the passport and ordered Dr. Asiama to return it to the court registrar and also write to the Attorney General upon his return to Ghana.
Trial
Dr. Asiama and the Former Chief Executive Officer of insolvent UT Bank which is now defunct, Prince Kofi Amoabeng, and four others, are before the court facing some 42 charges including causing financial loss to the state.
He is accused of allegedly causing financial loss to the state by approving GH¢460 million liquidity support for UT Bank without following laid-down procedures.
He and the others pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against them and they were granted bail by the court.
They were ordered to deposit their passports with the court registrar and had to apply to the court before it was released.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak