Accra: The Court of Appeal has rejected an application to halt proceedings in the criminal trial of Nana Appiah Mensah, former Chief Executive Officer of the defunct Menzgold Ghana Limited, and two others. Appiah Mensah, known as NAM 1, filed the application following the Accra High Court’s establishment of a prima facie case against him.

According to Ghana News Agency, NAM 1 sought to stay proceedings pending the determination of another appeal challenging the High Court’s order to open his defence. In 2024, the High Court directed NAM 1 to present his defence in the ongoing criminal trial, prompting his lawyers to file an appeal to overturn the ruling.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, presided over by Justice Gbiel S. Suurbaareh, dismissed the application, ruling that no exceptional circumstances warranted discretion in the applicant’s favour. The other panel members were Justices Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe and Christopher Archer.

On Monday, May 19, 2025, the State argued before the panel that no exceptional circumstances had been raised. Senior State Attorney Watkins Adamah stated that the High Court’s pronouncement on July 11, 2024, was based on the prosecution’s case, adding that the determination of a prima facie case against the applicant was not unusual.

Adamah rejected claims that the complainants were unknown members of the public and stated that even if six out of the 39 charges were dismissed, it would not conclude the case. He argued that this would not result in any miscarriage of justice and described the application as an attempt to exceed the Court’s powers, urging its dismissal.

NAM 1, Brew Marketing Consult, and Menzgold face 39 charges, including selling gold without a licence, operating a deposit-taking business, inducement to invest, defrauding by pretences, fraudulent breach of trust, and money laundering, involving over GH?340 million.