Akufo-Addo Pardons Mahama Appointee Jailed For Causing Financial Loss To The State In NCA Scandal

• The President has pardoned a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, who was jailed for causing financial loss.
• President Akufo-Addo issued the pardon after an appeal from the chief of the Kpembi Traditional Area
• Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman was serving a five-year jail term for his role in a scandal at the National Communications Authority

President Nana Akufo-Addo has pardoned an appointee under the Mahama administration who was jailed for causing financial loss to the state.

The appointee pardoned was a Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman.

Osman was jailed for his role in the purchase of cybersecurity equipment worth over $4 million.

The pardon was granted following consultation with the Council of State, according to a letter from the Office of the President to the interior ministry.

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It was prompted by a petition from the Paramount Chief of Kpembi Traditional Area, Kpembewura Haruna Dari Bismark Banbange Ndefoso I.

The petition called for the pardon on grounds of ill-health and good behaviour.

Osman was serving a five-year jail term in 2020 for wilfully causing financial loss to the state as part of the scandal at the National Communications Authority (NCA).

The president has previously pardoned the former National Coordinator of the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA), Abuga Pele, in 2022.

This pardon also came from pleas made to the President from Pele's home constituency.

Other sentences in scandal

YEN.com.gh reported that he was jailed alongside a former board chair of the NCA, Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, and William Tetteh Tevie, a former Director-General of the NCA.

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Baffoe-Bonnie was sentenced to six years imprisonment while Tevie was sentenced to five years imprisonment.

The three, however, beat the charges of stealing, conspiracy to steal, and using public office for personal benefits.

Background to scandal

The Mahama administration contracted an Israeli company to supply surveillance equipment at $6 million to enable the Authority to monitor conversations of persons suspected to be engaged in acts of terror.

A local agent, Infraloks Development Limited, allegedly charged $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million.

The NCA was asked to fund the project because the National Security did not have the money to fund the transaction.

$4 million was, however, withdrawn from the NCA’s account. $1 million out of the withdrawn amount was deposited into the account of the Israeli company and the remaining $3 million was lodged in the account of Oppong, who acted as a representative of the local agents, Infraloks Development Ltd.

Source: YEN.com.gh