[2020]DLCA8745 • March 25, 2020 • Court of Appeal
THE REPUBLIC vs. EUGENE BAFFOE-BONNIE & 4 OTHERS
The 3rd Accused/Appellant and four others were charged with conspiracy to steal, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and related offences involving the unauthorized use of Four Million US Dollars from the National Communications Authority to purchase cyber surveillance equipment. The prosecution alleged that the accused persons conspired to purchase the equipment without authorization and shared the funds improperly. The appellant was called upon to open his defence on charges of conspiracy to steal and money laundering after the prosecution's case.
read moreSUURBAAREH, JA This is an appeal from the ruling of the High Court, Accra, dated 23rd May 2019, wherein the 3rd Accused/Appellant, was called upon to open his defence in respect of the charges of Conspiracy to steal, under sections 23(1) and 124(1) of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) as well as Money Laundering under section l(l)(c) of the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2007, Act 749. The facts giving rise to the instant appeal are not in any dispute. The 3rd Accused/ Appellant, simply called the appellant, was charged alongside four other accused persons, for various offences, following investigations conducted into how an amount of Four Million United States Dollars (US$4,000,000.00) was used to purchase some cyber equipment allegedly for the National Security Council Secretariat, from the account of National Communications Authority, without any authorization, and also without going through the necessary procurement processes. The prosecution who a...