The High Court in Accra has ordered Nana Appiah Mensah (NAM1) to file his witness statement by February 9, 2026, after striking out a motion seeking a stay of proceedings in his ongoing criminal trial.
The court, presided over by Justice Ernest Owusu-Dapaa, issued the order following the withdrawal of the application, which had been filed on January 13, 2026. The case relates to allegations that Menzgold Ghana Limited was used to conduct illegal gold trading activities.
NAM1 is standing trial alongside other individuals and corporate entities in connection with the operations of Menzgold Ghana Limited.
At the hearing on Monday, February 2, 2026, counsel for the accused, Paa Joy Akuamoah Boateng, informed the court that the motion for a stay of proceedings had become ineffective after a related judicial review application before the Supreme Court was withdrawn.
He explained that the discontinuance of the substantive process rendered the High Court application “negatory” and therefore requested that it be struck out as withdrawn.
The prosecution, led by Senior State Attorney Watkins Adama, did not oppose the application, describing it as a procedural matter that did not prejudice the Republic’s case.
In its ruling, the court held that an appeal against a summary of proceedings remained pending but emphasised that it did not operate as a stay of trial. Justice Owusu-Dapaa consequently ruled that the trial should proceed and directed NAM1 to continue with his evidence-in-chief.
The court further ordered the accused to file any proposed documentary evidence at least three clear days before the next sitting. The other accused persons were also directed to file their respective documentary evidence.
In his testimony, NAM1 told the court that Menzgold Ghana Limited was incorporated under Ghanaian law to engage in gold mining, buying, value addition and export. He acknowledged that such activities required regulatory licences and maintained that the company held the necessary approvals at the time it operated.
He explained that the licensing process involved the submission of documents, payment of statutory fees and regulatory assessments, adding that the regulatory framework later changed when the Precious Minerals Marketing Company (PMMC) shifted from licensing to national assay functions.
NAM1 further told the court that although the company possessed incorporation and licensing documents, he had been unable to access some of them after the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) shut down the business and law enforcement agencies secured its offices.
According to him, this situation affected his ability to retrieve documents relevant to his defence, a claim he said could be verified by the relevant state institutions.
The court consequently ordered NAM1 to file his witness statement by February 9, 2026.
Background
The case stems from the collapse of Menzgold Ghana Limited and related businesses, leading to the prosecution of NAM1, other individuals and two corporate entities linked to the company.
The prosecution has charged the accused persons with several offences, including selling gold without a licence, operating a deposit-taking business without authorisation, inducement to invest, defrauding by false pretence, fraudulent breach of trust and money laundering.
According to the prosecution, between 2016 and 2018, members of the public were allegedly induced to invest funds in gold transactions and related schemes through Menzgold.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) later suspended the company’s operations for operating without the required licence, leading to its shutdown and subsequent investigations. NAM1 and the other accused persons have pleaded not guilty and are standing trial before the High Court.
