The former Public Procurement Authority (PPA) boss Agyenim Boateng Adjei has been granted bail in the case where he has been accused of corruption-related offences.
The former PPA boss and his brother-in-law Francis Kwaku Arhin were hauled before the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court on Wednesday, 25 May 2022.
Mr. Adjei has been charged with 17 counts of using public office for-profit and nine counts of directly and indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract.
His brother-in-law, on the other hand, was charged with one count of using public office for profit.
They both pleaded not guilty and were granted GH¢5 million with two sureties each. The sureties are each to deposit their national identification cards at the court’s registry.
Mr. Agyenim Boateng has also been ordered to deposit his passport with the court until the final determination of the case.
Francis Kwaku Arhin, on the other hand, has been allowed to retain his passport on compassionate grounds because he resided in the United Kingdom with his family.
Presenting his case, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, who initiated the action, said Mr. Adjei improperly and unlawfully conducted and participated in tendering processes in awarding government contracts to Talent Discovery Limited without disclosing that he was a major shareholder of the company.
As a member of the governing board of PPA, Mr Adjei, the SP said, used the company as a sure bet of winning the public bids and as the implementor of the decision of the board unlawfully altered the decision to favour his company.
Within a short period, the SP said Mr. Adjei amassed a “fantastic amount” of GH₵41million in his account, the reason he was in court.
Counsel for the former PPA boss, Kwame Acheampong Boateng, after proceedings on Wednesday, 25 May 2022, expressed worry that his client has already been prejudiced in the media space.
Despite the case gaining such negative prominence, he is confident that the court will ensure justice is served.
Meanwhile, the court presided over by Justice Mary Maame Ekue Nsenkyire ordered the prosecution to file disclosures and serve the accused persons with all the documents they intended to rely on for the trial and all witness statements within four weeks.
The accused persons were also to file the names and addresses of all their witnesses in case a prima facie case was made against them and file an alibi, if any.
The case has been adjourned to 28 June 2022.