ADVERTISEMENT

Mahama officials refunding wrongly pocketed NCA cash – Minister

Eugene Baffoe-Bonney, former Board Chairman of the NCA; Alhaji Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator; William Tevie, former Chief Executive Officer of the NCA were named for engaging in the act.

___6735729___https:______static.pulse.com.gh___webservice___escenic___binary___6735729___2017___5___25___18___Eugene-Baffoe-Bonney

“Investigations are a long process, and as the lawyers will tell you, an act of criminality ought to be proven until beyond reasonable doubt and so my understanding from the BNI is that they haven’t completed the investigations. They’ve gone beyond the statements and the admission and the paying back of the money that they have started,” Mustapha Hamid told Accra-based Citi FM.

In addition, he said the Bureau of National Investigations has launched a full scale investigation into the matter and may head to court if evidence pieced together is enough to secure conviction.

“There are other things that ought to be established, but for now the concentration is on retrieving the money that cannot be end of the case but investigations will determine at what point they believe that they gathered all the facts that will enable them make a convincing case before a judge or any judicial panel they may be made to face,” Mr Hamid said.

ADVERTISEMENT

The officials at the centre of this scandal are said to have contracted an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, to supply listening equipment at the cost of $6 million, to enable the authorities to monitor conversations of persons suspected to be engaged in terror activities.

Mr Hamid earlier to Joy FM that the importation of the equipment from an Israeli company was even concealed from the New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration as the equipment were reportedly moved into a private property at the time the NPP took over – with no documentation at the National Security Secretariat.

There was no inventory nor traces of it in the handing over notes left behind, making the whole transaction suspicious.

He said a local agent, Infraloks Development Limited, was also charging $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million.

According to him, National Security, which did not have the funds for the equipment, allowed the NCA, which supervises the use of such equipment to fund the project.

ADVERTISEMENT

The NCA top officials, he revealed, withdrew $4 million from the NCA’s kitty but gave only $1million to the Israeli firm.

The officials withdrew $4 million from the accounts of the NCA and paid $1 million into the accounts of the Israeli company.

"They took $4 million from NCA accounts and paid $1 million to the Israeli company and then deposited $3 million in the accounts of the local agent, one Mr George Oppong and proceeded to share the $3million among themselves," the minister added.

He gave a breakdown of how the $3 million was shared. "Mr. Eugene Baffoe-Bonney took $200,000; George Oppong took $100,000; William Tevie got $150,000, Alhaji Osman received $70,000 whiles one other person got $500,000."

ADVERTISEMENT

He said apart from Alhaji Osman, the others have admitted to the crime and have been given bail after the BNI interrogated them.

He noted that Alhaji Osman is, however, at large and wanted by the BNI.

Hamid revealed that Mr George Oppong has refunded $1 million whiles Mr Baffoe-Bonney promised to refund $40,000.

"BNI hasn’t even decided at this stage because they believe that the money must be returned…If they succeed in retrieving the money then they will decide their next action," Mr. Hamid said.

ADVERTISEMENT

According to him, the transaction was a clear case of top officials colluding to plunder the state coffers.

"The reason why this is a classic case of 'create, loot and share' is that…it was basically Alhaji Osman acting as Deputy National Security Coordinator, who spearheaded this deal. …People cannot just go and open a state vault and take whatever that is in there," Hamid concluded.

JOIN OUR PULSE COMMUNITY!

Unblock notifications in browser settings.
ADVERTISEMENT

Eyewitness? Submit your stories now via social or:

Email: eyewitness@pulse.com.gh

ADVERTISEMENT