The case involving Alhaji Suleman Briamah, a board member of Accra Hearts of Oak Sporting Club and two others on alleged money laundering offences, was on Tuesday struck out for want of prosecution.
Contending that justice delayed resulted in the denial of justice, the court ordered that that the money be refunded to Alhaji Hearts.
Alhaji Briamah, aka Alhaji Hearts, and his accomplices Claribel Ewurasi Kinsful, a cabin crew member of Ghana International Airlines and Alhaji Ahmed Tijani, a driver, had been charged with conspiracy.
Alhaji Hearts and Tijani were additionally charged with abetment of crime, to wit, aiding and abetting money laundering, while Claribel was also charged with concealment of 59,870 pounds sterling.
They had pleaded not guilty and were admitted to GH¢ 25,000 with a surety each.
The prosecution had said Claribel's flight arrived at the Kotoka International Airport on Friday, August 8 last year and during a random search conducted by security officials of the Airline, a sum of 59,870 pounds sterling was found concealed in two of her bags.
When she was interrogated, she disclosed that the money was given to her by one George in the United Kingdom to be delivered to someone in Accra.
According to her, George informed her that on her arrival in Accra someone would call her and come for the money.
The prosecution said Claribel, however, refused to provide information on George and in her caution statement she admitted transacting several businesses with the said George.
On August 14, while investigations were going on Alhaji Hearts and Tijani went to the BNI headquarters to claim ownership of the money.
The prosecution said Alhaji Hearts indicated that he sent 50,000 pounds sterling to Tijani to buy him a house about one-and-a-half years earlier. Tijani, however, claimed that Alhaji Hearts brought the money to him in the United Kingdom about one-and-a-half years earlier.