A former Project Supervisor at the collapsed Beige Bank, Obeng Gyasi Appiah-Kubi, says GH₵28 million was approved by Michael Nyinaku, former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Bank, the accused person in the ongoing trial, for the refurbishment of 71 existing branches of the Beige Capital Savings and Loans (BCSL). 

He explained that the offices of the BCSL were rebranded to reflect the Institution's newly acquired status - Beige Bank. 

Mr Appiah-Kubi, the defence witness, was giving his evidence-in-chief at the High Court presided over by Mrs Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, a Court of Appeal Judge with additional responsibility at the High Court. 

The witness, also the Project Supervisor at the Beige Group (TBG), who was tasked with technical consultation and construction of the building projects, said initially, GH₵30,568,000.00 was estimated for the project but the CEO approved GH₵28 million and charged the team to work with that. 

"He directed the Chief Finance Officer of TBG to facilitate the disbursement of funds and the work spanned between December 2016 and September 2017," the witness said. 

He said the team reviewed architectural drawings, structural integrity, bills of quantities, supervised construction of new buildings when the Bank evolved from BCSL to the universal bank, courtesy Babbel Limited, a subsidiary of TBG. 

It supplied furniture, office installations- software, generators, repainting, retiling of floors, power inventors, among others in branches across the country. 

Mr Appiah-Kubi said the project was funded by TBG after a requisition was made to the supervisor, which was forwarded to the CEO and later to the finance office to process the request. 

He named some of the branches as Airport West, Atomic Junction, Ashaiman Roundabout, Pokuase, Adum-Kumasi, Bantama, Afful-Nkwanta, Tema New Town, New Abirem, Gbeigbeisee, Ashiyie, Tamale Main, Bawku, Kintampo, Berekum, Wa, and Kokompe. 

Nyinaku has been charged with stealing, money laundering and fraudulent breach of trust, which he has denied.