Former PPA Boss and brother in-law plead not guilty: Granted GHC 5 million bail

The Former Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority(PPA) Adjenim Boateng Adjei and his brother-in-law, Francis Kwaku Arhin have pleaded not guilty to charges of procurement breaches leveled against them by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

They have therefore been granted a GHC 5 Million bail with two sureties on Wednesday, May 24, 2022, by the High Court in Accra(Criminal Division) before the presiding judge, Justice Mary Maame Nsenkyire.

The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Adjebeng, who was present in court, did not oppose the bail granted to the accused.

He noted with full conviction in an interview with pressmen after proceedings that his outfit has been able to gather enough evidence to implicate and get the conviction of the accused person.

The Former PPA Boss has been charged with eight(8) counts of using public office for profit, and nine(9) counts of directly and indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract.

Francis Kwaku Arhin, the brother-in-law of Mr. Boateng who was also implicated in the said documentary, has been additionally charged with one(1) count of using public office for profit. 

The case has meanwhile been adjourned to June 28, 2022.

Background

President Akufo-Addo on August 22, 2019, suspended Mr. Adjei from office, following the broadcast of a documentary by freelance investigative 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.