The Accra High Court has rejected an attempt to delay proceedings in the ongoing trial involving alleged embezzlement of GH¢49.1 million in State funds, firmly asserting the need to avoid unnecessary setbacks in a case with significant public interest.
The request for adjournment came from Mr. Nutifafa Nutsukpui, newly appointed lawyer for Mildred Donkor, the third accused standing trial alongside former Minister of State Kwabena Adu Boahen, his wife, and one other individual. All four face 11 criminal charges including stealing, conspiracy, money laundering, abuse of office, and causing financial loss to the State.
Mr. Nutsukpui requested more time to familiarise himself with the case documents, stating that he had only recently been engaged and had not received full documentation from his client.
“Given the seriousness of the charges, particularly the allegation of conspiracy, we respectfully seek time to review the pending applications and the Attorney General’s responses,” he told the court, adding that Donkor had only handed over a partial set of documents after leaving her office late on July 28, 2025.
But the prosecution, led by Deputy Attorney-General Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, strongly opposed the move. He argued that by appearing in court, the new counsel had demonstrated readiness and that delaying proceedings on the basis of case file review was not legally justified.
“If you are not properly instructed, you do not step into the courtroom,” Dr. Srem-Sai told the judge. “This trial cannot be held hostage by late-stage engagement decisions.”
Presiding Judge Justice John Nyante Nyadu sided with the prosecution, stating that Donkor had had ample opportunity to arrange legal representation well ahead of the hearing and that the court would not permit avoidable delays.
He emphasized that adjournments for such reasons would only be entertained in the case of illiterate defendants or those completely unaware of court procedures—circumstances which clearly did not apply to Donkor.
The case, which has garnered widespread attention due to its implications for public accountability and high-level corruption, will resume on July 31, 2025.
All four accused persons have pleaded not guilty, and the trial continues to draw scrutiny from civil society and anti-graft observers monitoring progress in high-stakes financial crime cases in Ghana.
