Corruption Cases

NCA $8M spy Equipment Scandal

Court has sentenced 3 of 5 accused to 16 years in jail
  • The National Security Secretariat in collaboration with the NCA procured listening devices to monitor alleged terrorists in the County.
  • An $8M contract was awarded to a Ghanaian Company, who in turn contracted NSO Group Technologies in Israel. Under the contract, NSO (the Israeli company received $6M while the Ghanaian Company retained $2M.

Procurement Malpractice

USD 8 million

3 of the 5 accused were sentenced to a total of 16 years in prison and the other 2 accused were acquitted.

Click here –> NCA case breakdown for a deeper dive.

Ghana Standards Authority $1.2m Corruption Scandal

Under investigation
  • Former Director-General of the Ghana Standards Authority, Dr. Crentsil is alleged to have received a bride of $1.2m in addition to personnel and materials to complete a 3 bedroom building from a GSA contractor.
  • Lemet Construction won the GSA building contract worth 15.2 M, a project the company failed to deliver on time
  • Investigations made by parliamentary committee of trade, industry and tourism.
  • Bribery
  • Abuse of power
  • Neglect

USD 1.2 million

The Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) began an investigation on the case.

The Central Medical Stores Saga

Waiting on investigation reports
  • On January 15th 2015, the uninsured Central Medical Stores of Ghana was burnt to the ground, causing an $80M worth of medical loss to the State.
  • Investigations carried out by a committee concluded that the CMS was burnt in a bid to conceal evidence of theft and procurement malpractices.
  • Twelve CMS staff were named by National Security as allegedly perpetuating fraud.
  • Arson
  • Destruction of state property
  • Fraud

GH¢349.6 million

Forensic audit completed by Auditor General but government is yet to release findings.

The CMS is to be  reconstructed. No further details have been heard  afterwards. 

Ghana Gas Helicopter Procurement Scandal

Under investigations
  • Ghana Gas procured 4 Helicopters at $100M which are yet to be used over two years after procurement.
  • Commissioned by Former President Mahama in 2015, the Z-9EH Helicopters have not filled their intended function of surveillance operations of offshore oil fields.
  • The helicopters are stationed at the Air Force Headquarters in Burma Camp with the rationale being lack of expertize to utilize the helicopters

Procurement Malpractice

USD 100 million

EOCO are still investigating the case

Cash for bail saga

Waiting for police officers to be requisitioned
  • On 13th March, 2019, Corruption Watch released the report of its investigation that found multiple cases in which some officers of the Ghana Police Service extorted money from suspects in their custody in return for bail. 
  • In addition, our investigators found many police officers contravening police ethics by engaging in arrest of persons indebted to others and debt collection. 
  • In the specific matter of cash for bail, police officers were captured demanding or receiving cash rewards amounting between 50 Ghana cedis and 1000 Ghana cedis.
  • Extortion of cash in return for bail
  • Illegal debt collection

The Ghana Police Service administration responded with a release of an animation video on bail to facilitate public education.

The BOST Fuel Scandal

BOST M.D resigned, money not recovered
  • In May 2019, it came to the attention of Corruption Watch and other media groups that BOST lost an estimated GHS1.5 million between 2014 and 2017. 
  • This was the highlight of a report of the Off-Spec Committee of set up by BOST.  
  • The Committee’s report also called for immediate steps to surcharge Movenpina and or the transporters of a certain ‘returned’ off-spec products for the lost volume of 8,094lts. BOST was also supposed to recover payment for the 471,000 litres lifted by Movenpina. 
  • The Committee’s recommendation was that “The payment must not be the nominal value but must include the interest to ensure that the economic value is retained and BOST is not short-changed.”
  • Suspicious deliberate downgrading of clean products and selling as slop or off-spec
  • Improper sale of fuel at BOST

GH₵ 1.5 million

  • At the time of covering the story, the Managing Director of BOST, George Mensah Okley indicated that BOST could sue Movenpina if the state company did not receive a favourable response.
  • In August, 2019, George Mensah Okley resigned as MD of BOST.

Twisted Justice

Judicial Service started internal investigations
  • In December, Corruption Watch released an investigative piece titled Twisted Justice. The piece captured a chain of alleged corrupt activities at the Ada District Court in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region. 
  • The principal accused person in these acts was the registrar of the court, Mr Benjamin K. Konadu (also known as Nana Kwasi Konadu). Corruption Watch investigations also exposed a case of abuse of process against the magistrate of the Ada District Court, His Worship Isaac Agyei.
  •  Unlawful withholding of court awards
  • Abuse of power/process
  • Non-issuance of receipts for payments
  • Charging of unapproved fees

The Judicial Service has instituted internal disciplinary procedures against Nana Kwasi Konadu. There is no outcome yet.

Abuse of public trust by SEC

SEC liaising with the Registrar General to settle clients
  • In June of 2019, Corruption Watch investigations revealed that some customers of Gold Coast Fund Management Limited and Beige Capital Asset Management Ltd were unable to access their investment funds lodged with the two firms.
  • The customers accused the regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), of not paying attention to complaints and barely gave feedback. They claimed this fueled fund management companies abusing investments.
  • Abuse of public trust
  • Abuse of investments

> GH₵ 5.3 million

SEC has closed down a number of fund management companies including Gold Coast Fund Management Limited and Beige Capital Asset Management Ltd. At the last check, the SEC was liaising with the Registrar General to liquidate the companies and settle their clients.

Missing Excavators Scandal

Ministry of lands doing an inventory

In February 2020, the CID arrested six  persons, including the then Central Regional  Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP),  Mr. Ekow Ewusi for their role in the 500  excavators gone missing after they were  seized during the ban on small scale mining.  The latest heard of this matter was in March April 2021 when new minister for lands, Abu  Jinapor asked a committee to do an inventory  of the excavators and report to him.  

In a related development, in April 2020, Chief  Justice Anin Yeboah directed all court  registrars to discontinue the appointment of  Ekow Ewusi as an auctioneer because he did  not have a valid license to practice as an  auctioneer in Ghana. However, in July 2020,  Ewusi who is the CEO of Coastal Mart, had  his licence restored after he satisfied the

  •  Illegal auctioning

No recent updates.

Anas’ documentary titled “Galamsey Fraud Part 1”

Investigations by Special Prosecutor incomplete
 
  • The part one of the exposé indicted a presidential staffer and Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Cromwell Bissue, who emerged as a facilitator for a company seeking to circumvent laid down processes to be given clearance for its mining operations.

  • Bissue is seen receiving wads of cash to facilitate the speedy ‘clearance’ of a mining company in order that it can begin mining as soon as possible, and is heard in the video instructing his subordinates over the phone to “fast track” the processing of the company’s documents.

  • In July 2019, the Criminal Investigations  Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service  cleared Mr. Charles Bissue of the allegations  of corruption. 
 
  • However, the then Special  Prosecutor Martin Amidu rejected the CID  conclusions and indicated that he had not finished his investigations. 
 
  • In an update  contained in the report on Corruption Risk  Analysis of the Agyapa Minerals Royalty deal,  former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu said,  “An issue of identity which needs resolution  has held up the Bissue case.”
  • Abuse of power
  • Bribery

> GH₵ 5.3 million

In an update  contained in the report on Corruption Risk  Analysis of the Agyapa Minerals Royalty deal,  former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu said,  “An issue of identity which needs resolution  has held up the Bissue case.”