The Special Prosecutor’s Office (OSP) has released updates on its prosecutions.
Since August 2021, the OSP has been prosecuting six people for alleged corruption-related offenses.
The OSP charged these individuals with corruption and corruption-related offenses in courtrooms around the country.
They include the MCE nominee for Juaben, Alexander Kwabena; former Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Development Authority, Sumaila Abdul Rahman, his two deputies, and a private contractor; former Chief Executive of Public Procurement Authority, Adjenim Boateng, and former Sanitation Minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah.
The prosecution finished its case in the trial of the MCE nominee for Juaben in the Ashanti Region for corruption in a public election, the OSP stated on Wednesday.
“He has been charged with 26 counts of corruption in respect of a public election. The court is scheduled to decide on the defense’s submission of a “no case” on January 23, 2024,” it added.
The OSP stated that the prosecution had closed its case in the Northern Development Authority corruption scandal, in which the former CEO, his two deputies, and a private contractor face 11 charges in connection with a bloated contract for a poverty eradication programme worth more than five million cedis.
“In all, the Prosecution called 10 witnesses. Defense to file their submission of no case to answer by January 4, 2024. The prosecution is to file its response by January 25, 2024. Case adjourned to February 12, 2024 for mention,” it added.
According to the Office, the former Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority and his brother-in-law are being tried in the Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra.
“Mr. Adjei has been charged on multiple counts of using public office for profit and directly and indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of public contracts, while his brother-in-law, Francis Kwaku Arhin has been charged with one (1) count of using public office for profit. Case adjourned to March 4, 2024, for the continuation of cross-examination of a first Prosecution witness,” it added.
In the instance of Cecilia Dapaah, the OSP said that the accused’s plea had yet to be taken.
“The case has yet to be assigned to a new judge.” “The case has been adjourned until December 22, 2023,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the OSP stated that these instances were distinct from previous OSP interim petitions in which the courts prevented the agency from making arrests, conducting investigations, or taking assets of persons identified as suspects and respondents.
