Business mogul and brother of Ghana’s former President, Ibrahim Mahama, has been arraigned at the special SSNIT Saturday Court for his company’s inability to pay the SSNIT contributions of its staff.
The case entitled the Republic vs Engineers and Planner Company Limited, Ibrahim Mahama, Suleiman Ahmed Aminu, and others came up for hearing today.
The facts of the case according to the Prosecuting officer, Leena Adomah Boakye, has it that Engineers and Planners together with its Owner and Directors failed to pay SSNIT contributions of their employees for the periods February 2015 to July 2015 and June 2016 to October 2016. The unpaid contributions amounted to about 700,000 cedis.
The substantive amount however has attracted a penalty of 400,000 cedis, brings the total indebtedness to SSNIT to about one million Ghana cedis.
The accused persons were represented in court by the Executive Director of Engineers and Planners, Suleiman Ahmed Aminu, one of the accused persons, with all the other accused persons being absent from court. Mr Ahmed Aminu pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him and the company he represents.
Lawyers for the accused persons Nancy Ametefio, prayed the district court Magistrate, Afua Gyakyiwaa Sackey, to pardon the other accused persons for not showing up in court. They assured the court that their clients who were absent will make a showing at the next adjourned date.
The court subsequently ordered the defence lawyers to ensure that all the accused persons turn up at the next court sitting for their plea to be taken. The next court sitting has been set to May 13, 2017.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mahama has been answering questions at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) over some dud cheques he allegedly issued to the Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority when his brother was in power.
