Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi Pleads Not Guilty in $2M Sky Train Project Case

Former Board Chairman of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, has pleaded not guilty to four criminal charges stemming from the failed Accra Sky Train project, which saw $2 million in public funds disbursed without any infrastructure being developed.

The 80-year-old academic appeared before the High Court in Accra on Monday, May 26, where he was granted bail of GHC10 million. As part of the bail conditions, he must provide two sureties, both of whom must justify their worth.

Presiding judge, Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, directed Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi to surrender all travel documents, including his passport, to the court registry. Additionally, he is required to report to the police weekly until further notice.

The charges against him include wilfully causing financial loss to the state, conspiracy to commit a crime, and intentional misuse of public funds. These charges are linked to the Accra Sky Train initiative, which was promoted under his leadership at GIIF but failed to progress beyond initial stages, despite the significant public investment.

His co-accused, Solomon Asamoah, who served as the Chief Executive Officer of GIIF during the same period, has also entered a not-guilty plea.

The court has scheduled a case management conference for June 10 at 10:00 a.m., during which procedural matters will be addressed, and a timeline for the trial will be established.

The case has sparked renewed scrutiny over accountability in state-funded infrastructure projects and raised questions about oversight mechanisms within government investment agencies.