Five additional persons have been taken into custody by
Ghana's Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in connection with a corruption
case involving Strategic Mobilization Ghana Ltd. (SML) and the Ghana Revenue
Authority (GRA). Contracts for revenue assurance between the two organizations
are the main subject of the inquiry. The OSP is looking into possible
corruption and other crimes associated with these contracts. High-profile
persons like Philip Mensah, a former Deputy Commissioner (Legal) at GRA who currently
serves as a legal consultant for SML, and Evans Adusei, the Chief Executive
Officer of SML, are among the recently detained individuals. Former GRA
Commissioner-General Kofi Nti and two representatives of the Public Procurement
Authority, Joseph Kuruk and Faustina Adjorkor, were also taken into custody.
Due to their inability to comply with bail requirements,
three of the five suspects were detained overnight. All five were subsequently
released on bond, though. These arrests follow other former GRA officials who
were previously detained. Those previously detained were Christian Tetteh
Sottie, a former GRA technical advisor who is currently SML's managing
director; Isaac Crentsil, a former commissioner of customs who is now SML's
general manager; and Rev. Dr Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, another former commissioner-general
of GRA.
The validity of the contracts given to SML is being looked
at by the OSP. Additionally, it is investigating the procurement procedures
that were employed to obtain these contracts. One of the main areas of
investigation is the financial impact of these transactions on the government.
The OSP is also investigating SML's assertions that its activities have
significantly reduced government income. The purpose of the inquiry is to
ascertain if these allegations are accurate or whether the contracts have resulted
in monetary losses for the state.
Concerns regarding accountability and transparency in
Ghana's public sector have been highlighted by this issue. The OSP's dedication
to combating corruption is demonstrated by the arrests of senior former
officials and SML allies. Further information on how the contracts were awarded
and whether the correct processes were followed may become available as a
result of the current inquiry. Ghanaians are keeping a close eye on the OSP's
ongoing investigation into the GRA-SML transactions. The public's confidence in
the government and its tax-collecting mechanisms may be significantly impacted
by the investigation's findings.
SOURCE: https://citinewsroom.com