Two persons, including Ghanaian agronomist, Dr. Victor Amoah who were standing trial at the Fast Track High Court for their alleged involvement in money laundering activities have been set free.

This follows a decision by the prosecution to drop the charges against them. 

Dr. Amoah and one Nana Kwaku Agyei, a miner, who later died during the trial,  and Charles Owusu Juanah, a lawyer, were first arraigned before the Financial Division of the Fast Track High Court on January 19, 2012, charged with two counts of conspiracy and aiding and abetting money laundering activities.

They however pleaded not guilty to the offences. Messrs Amoah and Juanah were each granted bail in the sum of $4 million with three sureties each to be justified.

The three were said to have obtained, through money laundering activities, an amount of $3.5 million.

The lawyer, said to be the principal architect, allegedly collected an amount of$3.5 million from the GT Bank headquarters at about 9:45 p.m. on November 17, 2011 after luring a Dubai-based businessman, Mohammed Shafiq, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Jampur Group, and his agents into the country to establish business dealings in gold.

Upon his arrival in the country, according to the prosecution, Mr. Shafiq and his agents were told that the gold had been lodged in a vault at the SG-SSB Bank and were made to pay $3.5 million before it would be released but the gold was not released as agreed leading to the arrest of the suspects.

After several trials, the court, presided over by Justice John Ajet-Nasam, discharged the accused persons after the state prosecutor Edward Cudjoe, a state attorney at the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO), withdrew the charges of conspiracy and money laundering against the accused persons. 

A document from the court dated 21st May 2012, and signed by the judge John AjetNasam, confirmed the prosecutor’s position as the “republic  wishes to withdraw the charges against the accused persons.”