BY Grace Zigah
In a dramatic twist in the ongoing Sky Train trial, the first prosecution witness, Yaw Odame-Darkwa, has contradicted his own witness statement before the High Court by admitting that the controversial Sky Train project was in fact discussed at least eight times during board meetings of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF).
This revelation came during cross-examination by counsel for Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, the first accused, Victoria Barth, on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Odame-Darkwa, who served as a board member of GIIF during the period under investigation, had earlier claimed in his sworn witness statement that the Sky Train project was introduced only once at a board meeting and that no substantive proposal was ever tabled for approval.
He had also insisted that the board did not deliberate on or take any decision regarding the project, and that the Investment Committee had not recommended it for consideration.
However, during cross-examination, when presented with several sets of official GIIF board meeting minutes dating from 2018 to 2020, the witness admitted that the Sky Train project featured in at least eight separate board meetings — a clear contradiction of his earlier statement.
The meetings were held on September 5, 2018; October 24, 2018; June 25, 2019; November 19, 2019; January 8, 2020; April 28, 2020; September 25, 2020; and December 22, 2020. All the documents were duly signed by the GIIF Board Chairman and company secretaries during those respective periods.
Pressed by Ms. Barth, the witness acknowledged that these minutes were shown to him by investigators from the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) during their probe.
Yet, he attempted to qualify his admission by suggesting that some minutes contained repeated references to other projects, an answer that prompted the defense counsel to call for an adjournment to allow the witness to refresh his memory.
The trial judge, Justice Audrey Kokuvie-Tay, subsequently adjourned proceedings to Wednesday, November 19, 2025, for the continuation of cross-examination.
Background of the Sky Train Project
The Accra Sky Train project was one of the flagship urban mobility initiatives announced by the previous government in 2019, aimed at easing traffic congestion in the capital.
The Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF) committed US$2 million for a 10% equity stake in Africa Investor Skytrain Consortium Holdings (Ai Skytrain), the company designated to develop the light railway system.
The consortium was selected by the Government of Ghana through the Ministry of Railways Development, then under the leadership of Joe Ghartey.
At the time of the investment, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi chaired the GIIF Board, while Solomon Asamoah served as Chief Executive Officer.
Asamoah, a seasoned international development banker, was recruited through a UK-based search firm to head the Fund, while Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi was a known political figure and former government appointee.
Following the change of government in December 2024, the new administration, led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC), ordered an audit of major state investments.
The Attorney General subsequently filed charges against the two GIIF officials, alleging that the US$2 million investment was made without proper Board authorization, amounting to willfully causing financial loss to the state. Notably, no railway infrastructure has yet been constructed under the project.
The state, however, has not accused the two of personal enrichment or diversion of funds. The charges rest primarily on the claim that the investment was unauthorized.
