Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), has pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by the Attorney General in connection with the $2 million SkyTrain project saga.
Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi, who is standing trial as the second accused person at the Accra High Court, pleaded not guilty to charges of willfully causing financial loss to the state, intentional dissipation of public funds, and conspiracy to commit a crime.
His appearance in court on Monday, May 26, 2025, for the formal taking of his plea follows his failure to appear on two prior occasions. His earlier absence was attributed to medical grounds, after he was reportedly rushed to the hospital on May 20, 2025.
The state slapped Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi and one other Solomon Asamoah, the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GIIF with six charges.
The charges include conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit, willfully causing financial loss to the state, and willfully causing financial loss to the state.
The others are; conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit, intentional dissipation of public funds; and intentional dissipation of public funds; and intentional dissipation of public funds.
Background:
Before the arrest and the filing of the charges, Attorney General, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, indicated that both Asamoah and Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi would be prosecuted, with some board members offering to testify as prosecution witnesses.
He stated that it has been established that the $2 million payment made by the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund was unauthorised, with only former CEO Solomon Asamoah and former Board Chairman, Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi, aware of and involved in the transaction.
“In respect of the Sky Train matter, we have completed investigations and will be filing charges, hopefully next week. We have established that the two million United States dollars (US$2,000,000.00) paid by the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund was paid without board approval.
“The only persons who knew and acted on the payment were the former CEO, Mr Solomon Asamoah, and the former Board Chairman, Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi. Both will be charged next week. Some of the board members have offered to testify as witnesses for the prosecution, and I am considering their offers,” the AG said while briefing the media at a recent press briefing.
