Ken Ofori-Atta: Special Prosecutor to Charge Notorious Former Minister, Others Over SML-GRA Contract
- The Office of the Special Prosecutor is planning new corruption charges for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta
- The expected charges against Ofori-Atta relate to corruption in a contract at the Ghana Revenue Authority
- Ofori-Atta is being investigated by the special prosecutor for five cases and has already been declared wanted
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The Office of the Special Prosecutor has said it has new corruption charges in store for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The charges are related to corruption in the revenue assurance contracts between the Ghana Revenue Authority and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited.
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At a press conference, the special prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, said the charges will be filed in November.
Others facing charges are current and former Commissioner-Generals of the GRA — Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Emmanuel Kofi Nti, GRA officials Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoa.
Ernest Akore, former Technical Advisor at the Ministry of Finance, will also be charged by the Special Prosecutor.
The Special Prosecutor maintains that contracts awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited were unlawful and influenced by personal gain.
“Our conclusion becomes even more telling on the consideration that upon retirement as the commissioner of the customs division of GRA, Mr. Crentsil took up appointment as the GM of SML, colouring his actions while in office as an inducement for future rewards of a retirement benefit and use of public office for private benefit.”
There is currently a red notice out for the extradition of Ofori-Atta to Ghana, but it is yet to be acted on.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor, Economic and Organised Crime Office and the National Intelligence Bureau have declared Ofori-Atta wanted.
Ofori-Atta is being investigated by the special prosecutor for five cases, including the state contract with Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited and the Ghana Revenue Authority, as well as procurement processes and financial transactions linked to the National Cathedral project.
Attorney General update on Ofori-Atta extradition
On October 22, Attorney General Dominic Ayine said the government was yet to build a strong case against Ofori-Atta to allow for his extradition from the US.
Speaking to the press on October 22, Ayine said that extradition processes, particularly with the U.S., require comprehensive documentation, including formal charges, before a request can be made.
Ayine cited a previous case involving Kojo Boateng, in which the US Department of Justice submitted a full bill of indictment detailing charges and supporting facts after a six-year investigation before Ghana acted on the request.
Source: Facebook
Earlier tension over Ken Ofori-Atta's extradition
Deputy Attorney General, Dr Justice Srem Sai, sparked some controversy when he said the special prosecutor had not provided dockets to trigger Ofori-Atta's extradition from the US.
Sai said several letters had been written to the special prosecutor to release the dockets, but there had been no progress on the matter.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor denied suggestions that it was deliberately blocking the extradition of Ofori-Atta.
It also dismissed allegations that it was refusing to collaborate with the Attorney-General to bring the former Finance Minister to justice, despite many months passing.
Special Prosecutor's Office secures first convictions
In July, YEN.com.gh reported that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) had recorded its first convictions since being set up in 2018.
One of the convictions related to the trial of Charles Bissue, former secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining.
Seven people in all were convicted by the Special Prosecutor.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
