SkyTrain trial CMC adjourned as Supreme Court challenge looms

The Accra High Court has postponed the case management conference in the US$2 million SkyTrain trial to October 19, 2026, following a request by lawyers for the first accused, Solomon Asamoah.

Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay granted the adjournment after hearing arguments from the defence and prosecution on whether proceedings should continue while an application filed at the Supreme Court remains pending.

Asamoah and Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi are standing trial over an alleged US$2 million payment made by the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund to Africa Investor Holdings Limited in connection with the proposed Accra SkyTrain project.

The prosecution contends that the payment was made without the required approval of the GIIF Board. Both accused persons have pleaded not guilty.

The case management conference had initially been scheduled for October 5 to 7 and was expected to prepare the ground for the defence stage of the trial after the prosecution closed its case.

Counsel for Asamoah, Victoria Barth, told the court that her client had invoked the supervisory jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and was seeking orders including certiorari and prohibition.

She said the application also seeks to prevent the High Court from taking further steps in the matter until the Supreme Court determines the challenge.

According to her, the Supreme Court application is due for hearing on October 13, 2026, and continuing with the trial before then could affect the pending proceedings.

Barth noted that although an earlier request for an interlocutory injunction to stop the trial had been refused by the Supreme Court, Asamoah had since filed his witness statement on September 23.

She added that 14 subpoenas were filed on October 2 for persons the defence intends to examine, depending on the outcome of the Supreme Court proceedings.

The defence also informed the court that two additional potential witnesses who are either outside Ghana or currently unavailable may later provide witness statements, subject to permission from the court.

Lawyer for Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi, Yaw Acheampong Boafo, supported the application for the short adjournment.

The prosecution, represented by Sefakor Batse, told the court that it had received the witness statement of the second accused but had not yet been served with that of Asamoah.

She said the prosecution had also only recently become aware of the additional processes filed by the first accused.

Although the prosecution indicated that it would have preferred the case management conference to continue, it left the decision to the court.

Batse, however, drew attention to an earlier position of the High Court that the mere filing of an application at the Supreme Court does not automatically suspend proceedings before the trial court.

The matter is now expected to return to the High Court on October 19, after the scheduled Supreme Court hearing.