OSP Charges Former Finance Minister Ofori-Atta, Seven Others Over SML Ghana Contract

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has charged former Minister of Finance Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta and seven others with 78 counts of corruption and related offences linked to the SML Ghana contract.

Those charged include Ernest Akore, Chef de Cabinet to the former minister; Emmanuel Kofi Nti and Rev. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah, both former Commissioners-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority; Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoah, former Commissioners of the Customs Division; and Evans Adusei, Chief Executive of SML, along with General Manager Isaac Crentsil, who is listed in the charge sheet.

The accused persons have been charged with conspiracy to commit a criminal offence by directly or indirectly influencing the procurement process to gain an unfair advantage in the award of a contract.

The alleged offence violates Section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and Section 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).

The charges come after months of investigations into the contract arrangements involving the Ministry of Finance, the GRA and SML Ghana.