Dontoh, Amandzebah ordered to open defence in GH¢93k theft case

Europa 12:37 - 31 May 2017

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The two accused persons were said to have withdrawn some GH¢93, 000.00 from the accounts of one Kwame Wadada of Africa Awake without his consent.

Veteran Ghanaian actor David Dontoh and musician Nat Brew Amandzebah have been ordered to open their defence before the Accra Circuit Court for allegedly stealing GH¢93,000 belonging to a Non-governmental Organisation, Africa Awake.

The money is reported to be a part of a GH¢1.5 billion donated by Ghana’s late President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills to Mr. Kwame Wadaada, the founder of Africa Awake, an event organizing company to organize the Africa Champions League Concert.

The court presided over by Afi Agbanu Kudomor said the prosecution had established a prima facie case against the accused and adjourned the case for Mr. Dontoh and Amandzebah to open their defence.

She said that “in the instance case, there is prima facie evidence that both accused persons by their actions on the said occasions conspired to commit the offence as charged”.

The presiding judge said after analysing the evidence adduced by the prosecution witnesses, the court finds that “accused persons conspired to steal and stole the said amount”.

Background

According to the facts before the court, both Dontoh and Amandzeba were in May 2013 served notice to refund the money with interest within 14 days or face legal action.

Their inability to comply with these directives forced the complainant to file a writ at the Fast Track Division of the High Court on July 22, 2013 asking the two to render accounts.

Africa Awake claimed that in May 2010, it received a Public Private Partnership sponsorship to the tune of GH¢150, 000.00 from the government of the late President John Evans Atta Mills.

The money was to be used for the establishment of the Atta Mills Legacy Project.

Out of the GH¢150, 000.00, the NGO argued that an amount of GH¢145, 000.00 was deposited in its Stanbic Bank Account (Acc. No. 0140002631901) with Kwame Wadaada, Africa Awake 2010, Amandzeba Nat Brew and David Dontoh as signatories to the account.

They added that except for an amount of GH¢19, 500.00 which they spent on various projects, Brew and Dontoh made unauthorized withdrawals between May 24, 2010, and June 10, 2010, to the tune of GHc125, 000.00 without their knowledge.

But both Amandzeba and Dontoh have denied any wrongdoing.