Sky Train Trial to Begin October 13 as Court Dismisses Defence’s Request for Documents

The High Court in Accra has scheduled October 13, 2025, as the start date for the much-anticipated trial involving the alleged unauthorized $2 million investment in Ghana’s failed Sky Train project.

The case centers on two former executives of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF): Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi, former Board Chairman, and Solomon Asamoah, former Chief Executive Officer. Both face charges related to causing financial loss to the state over their roles in the controversial investment.

At a pre-trial hearing on Wednesday, defence lawyers made a strong push for the court to compel the prosecution to disclose specific internal GIIF documents. Victoria Barth, representing Solomon Asamoah, argued that minutes from board and committee meetings were vital to disproving the prosecution’s claims that the investment lacked proper authorization.

“These are not random requests,” she asserted. “They are crucial to establishing whether due process was followed by the GIIF board and if necessary approvals were indeed granted. The prosecution cannot cherry-pick records.”

Counsel for Prof. Akumfi, Duke Aaron Sasu, fully supported Barth’s submissions, reinforcing the defence’s call for transparency.

However, Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai opposed the motion, maintaining that the prosecution did not possess the requested documents. “We cannot produce what we do not have,” he said, stressing that disclosure obligations only apply to materials within the prosecution’s control.

The presiding judge sided with the prosecution, ruling that the defence had failed to demonstrate that the documents were in the state’s possession. He advised the defence to explore other legal avenues if they wished to obtain them.

With the disclosure request dismissed, the court confirmed that trial proceedings will commence on October 13. Hearings are set to be held twice a week, with each session scheduled to last three hours.

The first prosecution witness will be Yaw Dame Darkwa, a former member of the GIIF board.

The trial is expected to shed light on the controversial Sky Train project, once touted as a futuristic solution to Ghana’s urban transport challenges but which never materialized beyond planning stages.