Sky train scandal : Trial of former GIIF executives begins in October
What began as a lofty infrastructure dream now finds itself in a courtroom. The High Court in Accra has fixed October 13, 2025, as the official start date for the trial of two former executives of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), accused of authorizing an unapproved $2 million investment in the now-abandoned Sky Train project.
On the line are the reputations—and legal fates—of Prof. Ameyaw Akumfi, former Board Chairman, and Solomon Asamoah, former CEO of GIIF.
The two are facing charges of causing financial loss to the state, a serious offence under Ghanaian law that underscores the stakes in public financial mismanagement cases.
The courtroom scene on July 29 offered a preview of what lies ahead. Lawyers for both accused men made a bid to access internal GIIF documents—board minutes, committee discussions, and approval records—which they claim will show that the investment was not made unilaterally, but rather with board authorization.
Victoria Barth, representing Solomon Asamoah, emphasized that the requested materials are central to proving the integrity of the process.
Duke Aaron Sasu, counsel for Prof. Akumfi, backed the motion, arguing that a fair trial demands full context—especially in cases involving complex board-level decisions.
But the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, pushed back. He told the court that the prosecution cannot be compelled to produce documents it doesn’t have, stating plainly that the items in question are not in the possession of either the state’s legal team or its investigators.
The judge sided with the prosecution. Disclosure was denied, but the defence has been left with the option to pursue those documents through other legal routes—perhaps a subpoena or a civil order.
Either way, it adds another layer of complexity to a trial already charged with political and financial implications.
Once underway, the court will sit twice a week for three-hour sessions, allowing time for what is expected to be a drawn-out and highly scrutinized process.
The state’s first witness will be Yaw Dame Darkwa, himself a former board member at GIIF—someone who could offer insider insight into how the decision-making process played out.
At the center of the case is a familiar question: who signs off on public investments, and what happens when they fail?
The Sky Train, a transport initiative that once promised to redefine urban mobility in Ghana, has since collapsed under the weight of feasibility doubts, funding shortfalls, and now, legal scrutiny.
Whether the $2 million can be accounted for—or justified—will be for the court to determine.
But for the public, this trial offers something more: a rare chance to interrogate how decisions are made behind the polished language of infrastructure development.
Background
