Former PPA CEO pleads not guilty to fresh charges and has been granted GH¢4 million bail

Former CEO of PPA, Adjenim Boateng Adjei

The former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim Boateng Adjei, has pleaded not guilty to new charges by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

This comes barely an hour after the OSP withdrew the charges against him and his brother-in-law, Francis Kwaku Arhin, in the previous charge sheet filed on May 18, 2022, and slapped him with 17 charges.

The former PPA CEO pleaded not guilty to all eight new charges, including four charges of using public offices for profit and directly and indirectly influencing the public procurement process using his office.

In court on Monday, April 22, 2024, the court presided over by Judge Marie-Louise Simmons, after accepting his plea, granted him bail of GHC 4 million.

He must provide two sureties, both of which must be justified by land ownership.

The Court also said that the Registrar must confirm with the relevant authorities the authenticity of the documents, while the guarantors must submit copies of their Ghana Cards to the Registrar.

Judge Simmons said the suspect must also produce any passport he may have to the court clerk.

The Court also said that the Registrar must “further confirm with the relevant passports and the existence of any other passports issued in the name of the accused.”

The EIB Network Legal Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, who was present in court, said the court further directed that copies of the bail bonds should be given to the prosecutor for easy access.

The prosecution, led by the chief prosecutor, has been instructed to submit their disclosures.

The charge preferred four counts of using public office for gain, contrary to section 179(a) of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (Act 29), and indirectly influencing the tender process to achieve an unfair to obtain an advantage in the award of a procurement contract, contrary to Article 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663).

Quick facts:

The brief facts of the case reveal that the President of the Republic, HE Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in a letter signed by his Secretary, referred allegations of corruption against the suspect to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

It was stated that the reference was based on an audiovisual documentary titled Contracts for Sale, an investigative journalism piece led by Manasseh Azure Awuni and broadcast by the Multimedia Group.

According to the brief of facts, the evidence will show that at all relevant times the suspect was the Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority, a member of the Board of Directors of the Public Procurement Authority, and a member of the Due Diligence Unit of the Public Prosecution Service. Procurement Authority by virtue of his position as general manager of the Procurement Authority.

The OSP stated that “the suspect and another person incorporated Talent Discovery Limited in Ghana as a company limited by shares on June 19, 2017, three (3) months after the suspect was appointed Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority

“At all relevant times the defendant was the majority shareholder and director of Talent Discovery Limited.

“Talent Discovery Limited, during the defendant’s tenure as Chief Executive; a member of the Board of Directors; and member of the Due Diligence Unit of the Public Procurement Authority, participated in several restricted tenders relating to public works contracts awarded by the Ministry of Works and Housing, the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority.

“The suspect, in his capacity as general manager; a member of the Board of Directors; and a member of the Due Diligence Unit of the Public Procurement Authority, carried out the tender processes in relation to tenders in which Talent Discovery Limited was shortlisted; and he actively participated in the due diligence and decision-making processes leading to the selection of Talent Discovery Limited as the contractor in relation to the tenders, without disclosing his personal interest as the majority shareholder and director of the company,” the OSP explained. .

“The suspect also used his position as Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority to improperly influence the decision of the Board of Directors of the Public Procurement Authority in relation to two (2) Ministry of Education contracts in favor of Talent Discovery Limited which led to the improper award of the contracts to Talent Discovery Limited.

“The suspect benefited personally and financially by using public office for profit and influencing the public procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in favor of Talent Discovery Limited, in which he had a financial interest as the majority shareholder.

“After investigation, the suspect was duly charged with the offenses charged,” the OSP said.