Auditor-General’s Report 2021: List of Judges Who Benefited From 19 Vehicles Auctioned Without Approval

• Some notable judges have been cited in the Auditor-General's report for contravening a Legislative Instrument about the purchase of auctioned cars
• The Auditor-General, Johnson Asiedu, disclosed that 19 official vehicles were auctioned by the Judicial Service for GH¢1,023,507.96 without approval from the Minister of Finance
• Meanwhile, a former President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges, Justice Victor Ofoe, has defended the purchase of the vehicles

The 2021 Auditor-General’s report has cited past and current judges of the Superior Courts for benefitting from an unapproved auction of vehicles by the Judicial Service.

According to the report, the auction contravenes a law passed in 2019 to stop such auctions. The law, known as “Regulation 158 of Public Financial Management Regulations, 2019 (L.I. 2378)”, was established to check possible underhand dealings in the auction of state vehicles.

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However, in the Auditor-General’s report for the 2021 financial year, some 16 High Court and Supreme Court judges have been cited as breaching this regulation.

The report stated that “19 official vehicles were auctioned by the [Judicial] Service for GH¢1,023,507.96 without approval from the Minister of Finance.”

Below is a list of the judges mentioned as beneficiaries of the unapproved auctions as revealed in the report by Mr Johnson Asiedu, the Auditor-General:

1. H/L Justice N. S. Gbadegbe - Toyota Land Cruiser GR 4158-17 GHC67,047.00

2. H/L Justice N. S. Gbadegbe - Toyota Avalon Saloon GR 2777-14 GHC27,570.90

3. H/L Justice F. G. Korbieh - Toyota Land Cruiser GR 8132-17 GHC57,975.00

4. H/W Charles Y. Boateng - Toyota Corolla Saloon GM 8311-13 GHC9,090.00

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5. H/L Justice Julius Ansah -Toyota Land Cruiser GR 4128-17 GHC75,643.00

6. H/L Justice Julius Ansah -Toyota Avalon Saloon GT 2774-14 GHC40,920.06

7. H/L Justice Jennifer A Tagoe - Toyota Fortuner-SUV GT 75-18 GHC87,887.00

8. H/L Justice E. K. Mensah - Toyota Fortuner-SUV GT 30-18 GHC59,000.00

9. H/L Justice N. C. Agbevor - Toyota Land Cruiser GT 796-19 GHC123,620.00

10. H/L Elizabeth Ankumah - Toyota Fortuner-SUV GT 39-18 GHC107,271.00

11. H/L Justice Asmah K. Asiedu -Toyota Corolla Saloon GN 4997-13 GHC8,399.00

12. Robert Cudjoe - Toyota Corolla Saloon GM 9231-13 GHC12,687.00

13. H/L Justice Lawrence L Mensah - Toyota Land Cruiser GR 1902-17 GHC67,192.00

14. H/L Barbara W. Acquah -Toyota FortunerStation Wagon G.N. 57-18 GHC92,914.00

15. H/L Thomas Ofedie - Toyota Corolla Saloon GM 6826-13 GHC7,509.00

16. H/L Justice Yaw Appau -Toyota Land Cruiser 200 (v8) GR 6590-17 GHC 56,606.00

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17. H/L Justice Yaw Appau - Toyota Avalon saloon GT 2945-14 GHC48,632.00

18. H/L Justice Jacob B. Boon -Toyota Avensis GM 517-15 GHC13,100.00

19. H/L Justice Nathaniel Osam - Toyota Fortuner SUV GT 49-18 GHC60,445.00

Judges Defend Purchase of Cars During Unlawful Auction

Meanwhile, a former President of the Association of Magistrates and Judges, Justice Victor Ofoe, has defended the purchase of the vehicles by the justices.

He said it is baffling that the Auditor-General would cite the judges for an unlawful act.

“I don’t know under what law he is talking about,” Justice Ofoe said on Joy News on Wednesday, August 31, 2022.

He argues that the purchase of auctioned vehicles by judges has been there for a long time.

“We applied, and they said sell, and we buy. If there is any wrong at all, we applied and they said sell to him. It is valued by the transport office and we pay,” he argued further.

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The Auditor-General is recommending that in the absence of approval from the Minister for Finance, the auction should be nullified, and the vehicles recovered.

Auditor-General Records GH¢1.08 Billion In Financial Irregularities In 2021

In a separate story from the Auditor-General’s report for the 2021 financial year, YEN.com.gh reported that huge financial irregularities at state institutions reaching GH¢1.08 billion were recorded.

The latest audit report submitted to Parliament shows the following irregularities and the quantum of money associated with each case:

• Tax Irregularities – GH¢989,026,225
• Cash Irregularities – GH¢45,763,607
• Indebtedness/loans/Advances – GH¢30,758,57
• Payroll Irregularities – GH¢5,601,611
• Stores/Procurement Irregularities – GH¢511,569
• Rent payment Irregularities – GH¢7,710,925; and
• Contract Irregularities – GH¢1,559,424.

These irregularities amounted to GH¢1,080,913,824, according to the report.

Source: YEN.com.gh