Court dismisses application against CHRAJ by former PPA CEO

The Accra High Court has dismissed an application by former Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim Boateng Adjei, in which he is asking the court to quash findings of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) during its investigations into the ‘Contract for Sales’ scandal.

In the suit filed at the High Court on November 27, 2020, Mr Adjei accused CHRAJ of breaching the principle of natural justice by keeping certain key information from him and his lawyers.

He said that his lawyers were not given the chance to cross-examine the witnesses CHRAJ used for its investigations and that, he was not given the opportunity to answer certain findings made by the commission in its work.

However, the court presided over by Justice Elfreda Amy Dankyiin in her ruling said “analysing the facts of the case and applying the relevant laws and cases stated supra this court is of the opinion there has been no breach of natural justice and certiorari does not arise”.

Background

President Akufo-Addo on August 22, 2019, suspended Mr Adjei from office, following the broadcast of a documentary by freelance journalist, Manasseh Azure Awuni, titled “Contracts for Sale.”

The documentary revealed that a company co-owned by Mr. Adjenim Boateng had sold government contracts it won through single-source and restrictive tendering to the highest bidder.

The matter was subsequently referred to CHRAJ to investigate allegations of conflict of interest and those relating to potential acts of corruption to the Office of Special Prosecutor.

CHRAJ after investigating Mr. Adjei found him guilty of conflict of interest in the performance of his duties.

It was based on the recommendations of CHRAJ’s report that Mr Adjei was sacked from office in October.