The Special Prosecutor has charged five people, including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, with causing financial loss of about GH¢1.4 billion in the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) contract fiasco. They have pleaded not guilty to the accusations.
The accused in the case are Emmanuel Kofi Nti and Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, both former Commissioner-Generals of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioners of the GRA’s Customs Division, Ernest Darko Akore, an aide to Ofori-Atta during his tenure as Minister of Finance, Evans Adusei, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SML, and SML itself.
They are charged with 78 offenses, including causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit, willful oppression, directly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of procurement, and entering into an agreement with a financial commitment that binds the government for more than one fiscal year without prior authorization by Parliament.
On Thursday, December 11, Mr. Ofori-Atta, Akore, and Damoah were not present at the court presided over by Justice Francis Aponga Achiponga, leaving Nti, Owusu-Amoah, Crentsil, and Adusei.
The OSP stated that he had submitted an ex-parte request for permission to serve Akore and Ofori-Atta, who are presently outside the jurisdiction.
Additionally, he told the court that the US government was actively pursuing extradition.
Consequently, the court stated that it would hold off on hearing the motion until after that procedure was completed.
In the meantime, Damoah’s attorneys claimed the court that their client wasn’t present because he wasn’t properly served, but the OSP rejected that claim, claiming that Damoah had to be present in order to fulfill his obligations under the OSP bond.
The present defendants entered not guilty pleas to the charges against them.
Additionally, Adusei entered a not guilty plea on behalf of SML, the business he is the beneficial owner of.
The five defendants were given GH¢50 million in bail, each with two sureties, by the court.
They must submit their travel documents and report to the Special Prosecutor’s office once a week.
However, the court put a stop to the bail terms’ enforcement until December 15, 2025.
In order to hear Damoah’s plea, the case has been postponed until December 17, 2025.
Six senior government officials were charged with a crime related to a revenue assurance contract that was given to SML by the previous administration.
The contract was later canceled by the government on President John Dramani Mahama’s orders after it became the focus of controversy and multiple accusations.
The criminal case also followed public attention and conversations regarding attempts to extradite Mr. Ofori-Atta, who the OSP claimed was fleeing justice in the United States.
Despite the former finance minister’s insistence that he had nothing to conceal and was only in the country for medical care,
Source: newsthemegh.com