THE REPUBLIC vs IBRAHIM ADAM, DR. SAMUEL DAPAAH, KWAME PEPRAH, DR. GEORGE YANKEY AND ATO DADZIE

The accused persons were charged with conspiracy and causing wilful financial loss to the State involving a large-scale rice farming project (Quality Grain Project) in Ghana. The project involved government guarantees for loans obtained by Quality Grain Company Ghana Ltd., controlled by Mrs. J.R. Cotton (nee Woodard), an American businesswoman. The accused, senior government officials, were alleged to have conspired and acted negligently or wilfully in recommending and approving government guarantees for loans which were misappropriated by Mrs. Cotton, resulting in significant financial loss to the State. The project failed to produce rice despite substantial government support and loans, with evidence of mismanagement and fraud by Mrs. Cotton. The accused persons had varying degrees of involvement in the project and the loan guarantees.

JUDGMENT The Accused Persons are charged with the following offences: COUNT ONE STATEMENT OF OFFENCE Conspiracy to Commit Crime contrary to Section 23 & 179A(3)(a) of the Criminal Code (Act 29) 1960. PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE Ibrahim Adam, Samuel Dapaah, Kwame Peprah, George Sipa-Yankey, Nana Ato Dadzie; between January 1994 and December 2000 in the Greater Accra Region acted together to commit crime, namely wilfully causing financial loss to the State. COUNT TWO STATEMENT OF OFFENCE Causing financial loss to the State contrary to section 179A(3)(a) of the Criminal Code (Act 29) 1960. PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE Samuel Dapaah, Kwame Peprah, George Yankey between the months of November, 1996 and September 1997 at Accra in the Greater Accra Region wilfully caused financial loss of six million one hundred and ninety-six thousand three hundred and thirty United States dollars ($6,196,330.00) to the State. COUNT THREE STATEMENT OF OFFENCE Causing financial loss to the state contr...