Accra: The High Court has directed Nana Appiah Mensah, commonly referred to as NAM1, and the Chief Executive of the now-defunct Menzgold Company Limited, to file his witness statement. This directive follows his attempt to provide oral testimony in the ongoing case.
According to Ghana Web, this development comes after the Supreme Court dismissed NAM1's application to overturn the High Court's previous decision. During recent court proceedings, NAM1's attorney, Emmanuel Amoakohene, requested the court to dismiss an application to stay proceedings. Amoakohene highlighted that their judicial review application at the Supreme Court had been withdrawn, rendering the stay application irrelevant.
The prosecution, represented by Senior State Attorney Watkins Adama, did not contest the request, leading to its approval by the court. However, Amoakohene mentioned that an appeal against the High Court's decision remains pending at the Court of Appeal.
In his testimony, NAM1 asserted that Menzgold had lawfully acquired operational licences from the Precious Mineral Marketing Company (PMMC) following a thorough review process. He detailed that the company complied with all necessary requirements, including the payment of fees and completion of relevant documentation, ultimately receiving a licence to operate from PMMC.
He further explained that after PMMC's transformation into a national assay office, Menzgold was advised to apply for a licence from the Minerals Commission. NAM1 described the comprehensive application process, which included the submission of a business profile and payment of fees, before receiving approval.
On being asked for proof of these licences, NAM1 stated that he would present the documents at the next hearing. He also mentioned that the closure of Menzgold and Brew Marketing Consult by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), followed by the Economic and Organised Crime Office's (EOCO) takeover of offices, had impacted access to documents necessary for his defence.
Presiding Judge Sedinam Kwadam has set a deadline for NAM1 to file his witness statement, complete with all pertinent documentary evidence, by February 9, 2026.