Witness Confirms Multiple GIIF Emails Referenced Sky Train Project

A prosecution witness in the ongoing Accra Sky Train trial has confirmed the existence of multiple email exchanges among members of the Board and Investment Committee of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) that repeatedly referenced the Sky Train project, contradicting his earlier testimony that the project was introduced only once at board level.

The witness, Yaw Odame-Darkwa, a former GIIF board member and chairman of its Audit Committee, tendered the emails during Day Four of cross-examination at the High Court in Accra, following a court directive requiring him to retrieve, verify, and present the correspondence.

On Day Three of cross-examination, counsel for the first accused challenged Mr. Odame-Darkwa’s assertion that the Sky Train project was mentioned only once at board level. The court subsequently granted the witness time to retrieve and confirm the emails referenced during proceedings.

After reviewing the documents, Mr. Odame-Darkwa confirmed the authenticity of at least 16 emails exchanged between July and September 2018 among GIIF Board and Investment Committee members. The emails—many of which contained attachments, agendas, and investment memoranda—were admitted into evidence without objection from the prosecution.

Several of the emails made direct reference to the Accra Sky Train project and were circulated ahead of scheduled Investment Committee meetings, alongside other GIIF projects including the Safari Hotel, Woodfields Tank Farm, and Mahama Hotel.

Among the exhibits admitted into evidence were the minutes of the Investment Committee meeting held on July 31, 2018, which recorded a presentation on the Sky Train Monorail Project. The minutes further noted that committee members expressed support for the initiative but requested additional details before making any recommendation to the GIIF Board.

During cross-examination on Monday, Mr. Odame-Darkwa admitted that he could not confirm whether a subsequent Investment Committee meeting scheduled for September 28, 2018, actually took place. He also acknowledged that he did not refresh his memory with Investment Committee minutes before giving statements to investigators at the National Investigations Bureau (NIB) in March 2025, or before filing his witness statement in court.

Despite these admissions, the witness maintained that the Investment Committee never formally recommended the Sky Train project to the GIIF Board, insisting that his position remained consistent with the committee minutes presented before the court.

The court also admitted into evidence extracts from the 2021 Auditor-General’s report on GIIF, as well as the Fund’s 2019 audited financial statements, which confirmed Mr. Odame-Darkwa’s role as chairman of the Audit Committee at the time. The documents bore the signatures of the former Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer.

The trial involves former GIIF Board Chair Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi and former Chief Executive Officer Solomon Asamoah, who are facing charges including causing financial loss to the state and dissipation of public funds over a US$2 million payment allegedly made for the Sky Train project. Prosecutors contend that the expenditure was incurred without board approval and without any work being executed.

Proceedings have been adjourned to December 16, when the court is expected to continue with the cross-examination.