The Adentan Circuit Court has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of the Chief Executive Officer of defunct gold dealership, Menzgold, Nana Appiah Mensah, popularly known as NAM 1, and two others for failing to appear before it.
The accused persons are been charged for allegedly conspiring to defraud by false pretenses.
The Court, earlier gave the accused persons two days to appear before it, but they were absent when the matter was called on Thursday.
The Circuit Court judge, Sedinam Awo Balokah gave the orders for their arrest after lawyer for the accused persons Yaw Dankwah told the court in his submission of the unavailability of his clients despite the court’s orders to bring them to court.
In his defense statement, Mr. Dankwah told the Court that the accused persons were on their way to court and objected to the processes filed by the prosecution in respect of the matter.
The counsel was of the view that the said criminal summons should be served personally on the accused and argued that Nana Appiah Mensah had never been associated or worked with the company, the Police claimed was being operated by Kwamigah, the second accused.
Prosecuting, Chief Inspector Maxwell Lanyo, who held brief of Superintendent of Police, Patience Mario, said due process was followed in serving the accused persons.
Mr. Lanyo, told the court that the accused persons have declined several Police invitations extended to them. He told the court that the Police contacted one of the Managers of Nam One’s company and criminal summons were served through him. Lawyer Dankwah however opposed the prosecution’s way of arrest saying it is wrong in law.
The judge, Awo Balokah said the accused persons had deliberately declined to appear in court and only sent their lawyer to court.
She adjourned the case sine die after issuing the bench warrant for their arrest and ordered that the accused should be put before court whenever they are arrested.
The Circuit Court, on November 2, this year, gave the accused persons two days to appear before it after their lawyer had told the Court, that the accused persons were not within the jurisdiction but they were in Tamale.
As a result, defense counsel prayed the Court to give them two weeks to appear before it.
The Court, however, declined and gave them two days.
