SSNIT OBS trial: Ernest Thompson given 8 weeks to study evidence

The case involving a former Director General of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) has been adjourned to December 14.

This was after counsel for the former DG, Ernest Thompson, prayed for more time to peruse the evidence the state intends to use against his client in court.

In court on Wednesday, the Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa, told the court they had filed documents at the court registry and enquired if the defence lawyers have been duly served.

Mrs Obuobisa explained that the 127-page document including a pen drive with other documents was filed on September 24 at the Court’s registry.

However, all the defence lawyers said they had not received copies of the documents, a stand judge Henry Anthony Kwofie corroborated.

Lawyers for the accused persons insisted that given the volume of the documents, they needed three months to study them.

One of the defence lawyers, Thaddeus Sory, noted the Supreme Court decision on pre-trial disclosures did not say prosecution should just furnish the defence with documents but also give adequate time for preparation of trial.



Justice Kwofie, however, gave them eight weeks in his ruling for them to prepare.

The case follows investigations into the award of $72 million Operating Business Suite (OBS) contract for the development of the software to help SSNIT in its dealings with pensioners.



Ernest Thompson has since been charged with conspiracy to wilfully cause financial loss to the state, wilfully causing financial to the state, defrauding by false pretence, contravention of Public Procurement Act, possession of forged documents, authoring forged documents, among others.