The High Court in Tamale has convicted former Northern Development Authority (NDA) Chief Executive Officer Sumaila Abdul Rahman and three other individuals for violating procurement procedures in a case prosecuted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The court dismissed the corruption-related charges against the four accused persons but found them guilty of offences relating to procurement breaches.
Each convict was fined 1,000 penalty units for every count on which they were convicted, with the fines for each individual ordered to run concurrently.
Court Explains Decision to Impose Fines
In delivering its decision, the court said it considered mitigating factors presented by the defence lawyers before opting for financial penalties instead of immediate imprisonment.
The court noted that the convicts did not personally benefit from their actions. It also observed that the OSP intervened promptly to stop the payment in question, preventing potential financial losses to the state.
The advanced age of two of the convicts was also considered in determining the appropriate punishment.
Four Convicts Face Possible Jail Terms
The court imposed different fines depending on the charges for which each individual was convicted.
The first convict, identified as A1, was fined 1,000 penalty units each on counts one and two. The second convict, A2, received the same fine on counts one, four, five and six.
The third convict, A3, was fined 1,000 penalty units each on counts one and eight, while A4 received similar fines on counts one and ten.
The court ruled that failure to pay the fines would result in four years’ imprisonment with hard labour for each applicable count. However, the default sentences for each individual are to run concurrently.
This means the four convicts will face custodial sentences only if they fail to pay the fines imposed by the court.
The ruling highlights Ghana’s ongoing efforts to enforce public procurement regulations and promote accountability in the management of public funds.
Source: newsthemegh.com