The case involving two civil servants who have been caught in an alleged high-level corruption at the Department of Urban Roads (DUR) under the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, has been adjourned by an Accra circuit court.
The two, Benjamin Bampoh, Tema Metro Director of roads and Francis Kwadzo Torsoo, who is the New Juaben Municipal Director of roads, were put before the court for allegedly collecting a total of GH¢3,000 from one Saaka Salia under the pretext of awarding him a road contract.
The alleged nefarious activities of the two were reportedly exposed when the complainant, after hearing several complaints about their activities, decided to prove the veracity or otherwise of the rumours.
The case is being tried and the prosecution was expected to present its first witness at yesterday’s sitting.
The court could however, not take the evidence of the witness. It emerged that the witness had travelled to the Northern Region and could not make it back to Accra because of the closure of the Buipe and Yapei bridges – which connect the north to the south.
The prosecutor, DSP George Amega, could also not turn up because he was in another court for another matter.
The case was subsequently adjourned by the presiding judge, Aboagye Tandoh, to December 12, 2017.
He further ordered that the prosecutor be available at the next sitting for the trial to commence.
The two directors are facing charges of conspiracy to commit crime and corruption by a public officer contrary to Section 239 (1) of the Criminal and Other Offences Act 29 of 1960.
They both pleaded not guilty and have been granted bail in the sum of GH¢30,000 each with one surety.
BY Gibril Abdul Razak