My bank accounts are still active, I didn't withdraw millions as reported - Dismissed PPA boss

Adjenim Boateng Adjei, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority, has dismissed media reports last month suggesting that he had withdrawn millions of Cedis from his bank accounts, shortly after it was unfrozen.

In a rejoinder through his lawyers to the media house that first published the allegation, Adjenim Boateng explained that contrary to the Fourth Estate's

Read full articleaccount, he did not withdraw millions from the accounts and that the impression created that the accounts had been closed was also erroneous.

The letter from Oriental Law Consult, said the withdrawals were regular especially after the former PPA boss had gotten clearance from a court to that effect.

"We wish to inform the general public, that our client was granted access to his bank accounts pursuant to an Order to Defreeze Accounts dated August 19, 2021, by the High Court, Accra in suit numbered; MSFT/078/2019 and titled; “THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR VRS ADJENIM BOATENG ADJEI”, and not, in connivance with bank officials as published. We are reliably informed all his accounts are still active."

Mr. Adjei was cited in a 2019 investigative documentary by Manasseh Azure Awuni dubbed 'Contracts for Sale,' in which he is alleged to have abused his office for personal benefit.

He was removed from his position and his accounts subsequently frozen by the Special Prosecutor via a court order but that order was vacated when investigations into the case stalled after a period of time.

The Fourth Estate in a May 2022 reportage said: “Our sources say, the freezing order expired and Mr. Adjei applied to the court to have it lifted. The sources say the OSP could not have kept the account frozen for more than 12 months without acting on the reason for which the account was frozen.

“The Fourth Estate’s sources further revealed that when Martin Amidu resigned from office in 2020, investigations into the ‘Contracts for Sale’ scandal stalled.

“In the intervening period between his resignation and the assumption of office of his successor, AB Adjei went to court and had the freezing order lifted.”

The report continued that after the lifting of the order, the former PPA CEO went ahead to clear his accounts of all the funds it contained.

His lawyers contested that claim stating thus: "We are further informed that the publication sought to create an erroneous impression that, our client had millions of cedis in his personal accounts when the facts clearly show that, the figures being circulated around is only a total turnover of inflows with corresponding outflows.

"For instance, an initial ¢100,000 deposit can be turnover into millions over a period of time by just withdrawals and re-depositing of same.

"The said publication which sought to suggest that, our client had millions of Cedis sitting in his account and had gone to withdraw same dubiously is palpably false and tantamount to making our client vulnerable to attacks that could risk his life," the letter stressed.

It continued that their client has: “conducted his affairs within the ambit of the laws of Ghana and has consistently been guided by statute and principles in the discharge of his duties during his tenure in office.”

Below is the full rejoinder issued by the law firm:

We write as solicitors for and on behalf of Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei (former CEO of the PPA) pursuant to whose instructions we write this letter.

We refer to the above ‘headlined’ publication dated May 18, 2022, and made by ‘The Fourth Estate’ on its website, which denigrates our client’s reputation and paints him as a corrupt person.

It is our considered opinion, that there was a clear misrepresentation of facts in the news bulletin as inaccuracies were captured in the publication.

We wish to inform the general public, that our client was granted access to his bank accounts pursuant to an Order to Defreeze Accounts dated August 19, 2021, by the High Court, Accra in suit numbered; MSFT/078/2019 and titled; “THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR VRS ADJENIM BOATENG ADJEI”, and not, in connivance with bank officials as published. We are reliably informed all his accounts are still active.

We are further informed that the publication sought to create an erroneous impression that, our client had millions of cedis in his personal accounts when the facts clearly show that, the figures being circulated around is only a total turnover of inflows with corresponding outflows. For instance, an initial ¢100,000 deposit can be turnover into millions over a period of time by just withdrawals and re-depositing of same.

The said publication which sought to suggest that, our client had millions of Cedis sitting in his account and had gone to withdraw same dubiously is palpably false and tantamount to making our client vulnerable to attacks that could risk his life.

Our client has always conducted his affairs within the ambit of the laws of Ghana and has consistently been guided by statute and principles in the discharge of his duties during his tenure in office.

Our client, being a firm believer of our justice system and laws, had largely chosen to ignore the malicious publications against his person and fight his case in the court of law.

We have the firm instructions of our client to assure Ghanaians that, at the right time, he will address all issues to do with his tenure as the CEO of PPA and lay bare facts and the truth, buttressed by documentary evidence.

We encourage all media houses to give accurate information to the Public in respect of his tenure as the CEO of PPA and not information for “clicks” in the social media space.

We demand that this rejoinder is given the same prominence as given to the original story.

Leslie Oku, Esq
Cc:
ALL MEDIA HOUSES
AB ADJEI, Accra