The trial of the former Information Minister, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, and eight others over the renovation of the ministerial block, Thursday, resumed after a seven week break. On March 15, the trial judge, Justice Charles Quist, adjourned the case to yesterday as he proceeded on his annual leave. The nine were arraigned before the Fast Track High Court on August 17, 2009, for their alleged complicity in a GH¢86,915.85 renovation work at the Information Ministry which according to the prosecution did not go through tender and proper procedure. The accused include Mr. Asamoah Boateng and his wife Zuleika Jennifer Lorwia, Frank Agyekum, former Deputy Minister of Information, Kofi Asamoah Boateng, former Director of Finance and Administration at the Information Ministry, Kwabena Denkyira, Deputy Director of Finance at the ministry, and Dominic Yaw Sarpong, former acting Chief Director. The rest are Prosper Aku and Yasmin Domua, manager and manageress respectively of Supreme Procurement Agencies Limited, and the business entity itself. All the accused have pleaded not guilty to their various charges of conspiracy, contravention of the Public Procurement Act, attempt to defraud by false pretences, forgery of official documents, possession of forged documents, and uttering forged documents and have each been granted GH¢10,000 bail with one surety. When the case was called yesterday, prosecuting Chief State Attorney, Anthony Gyambiby, prayed the court to issue a bench warrant for the arrest of Mr. Asamoah Boateng and his wife who were not present at the time. He said that all the counsel were aware of the adjourned date, contending "it was a definite date so if they are not present, I presume it was on purpose". But counsel for Mr. Agyekum, Egbert Faibile Jnr., argued that there might had been a communication lapse since even they the counsel were unsure of the court's sitting . He indicated that Nene Amegatcher, counsel for Mr. Boateng and his wife, had been at the court the morning before the court started its sitting. Consequently, Justice Quist declined to issue the bench warrant and asked the prosecution to present the second prosecution but a few minutes into the second prosecution witness' evidence, Mr. Boateng and his wife arrived at the courtroom. Led in evidence by the prosecution, the witness, Lawrence Freeman Dzakpa, Principal Accountant at the Ministry of Information at the time, told the court that he joined the ministry on March 31, 2008. He told the court that the ministry had a tender committee composed of Kofi Boateng and Denkyira and others whose names he said he could not readily recollect unless he checked from his records. Mr. Dzakpa said that a number of management meetings were held when Mr. Asamoah Boateng joined the then Ministry of Information and National Orientation but said he was only invited to only one of them which was chaired by Mr. Asamoah Boateng. According to Mr. Dzakpa, he was at his desk one day when a letter from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning dated December 11, 2008 and signed by Professor George Gyan Baffour was brought to him asking the ministry to effect some payment to PHC Motors and Plexiform Ventures. Irrespective of the letter, he said he asked his accounts officer not to pay the amount due Plexiform Ventures because it did not satisfy the necessary documents required for the payment to be effected. He mentioned the said documents as tender documents, bill of quantities and architect certificate. The case has been adjourned to May 6 for Mr. Dzakpa to continue with his evidence. Source: Ghanaian Times