The trial of the former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim-Boateng Adjei, over alleged misuse of public office for personal gain, began with OSP prosecutors calling their witnesses.
On Monday, October 20, when the trial started, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) submitted its 188-page investigation report on conflict of interest to the court.
The former PPA boss is facing eight counts, comprising four counts each of using public office for profit, contrary to Section 179(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract, contrary to Section 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663).
Mr. Adjei pleaded not guilty to the charges and has been granted bail.
On Monday, October 20, 2025, the OSP called Lambert Luguniah, a Senior Legal Officer at CHRAJ, who was a member of the investigation team that investigated matters of conflict of interest following the Contract for Sale documentary reports.
While being led by Adelaide Kobiri, a Principal Prosecutor at the OSP, to give his evidence-in-chief, the court adopted the witness statement and the 188-page final investigation report titled “Decision” to the court.
Defence lawyers had raised issues with the authenticity and certification of the reports, which was signed by the Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal.
But the objection was overruled and the documents admitted.
Following the conclusion of the evidence-in-chief, lawyers of the accused are scrutinizing the witness by way of cross-examination before the High Court presided over by Justice Marie-Louise Simmons.
Further cross examination continues on Tuesday, October 21.
Brief facts
The brief facts of the case states that, by a letter signed by his Secretary, the President of the Republic, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo referred allegations of corruption against the Accused to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
It stated that, the referral was on the back of and based on an audio-visual documentary titled: Contracts for Sale – an investigative journalistic piece conducted by Manasseh Azure Awuni and aired by the Multimedia Group.
According to the brief facts, the evidence will establish that the accused was at all material times the Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority; a member of the Governing Board of the Public Procurement Authority; and a member of the Due Diligence Unit of the Public Procurement Authority by virtue of his position as the Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority).
The OSP states that, “the Accused and another person incorporated Talent Discovery Limited in Ghana as a company limited by shares on June 19, 2017, three (3) months after the Accused was appointed as Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority.”
“At all material times, the Accused was the majority shareholder and a director of Talent Discovery Limited.
“Talent Discovery Limited, during the tenure of the Accused as the Chief Executive; a member of the Governing Board; and a member of the Due Diligence Unit of the Public Procurement Authority, participated in several restricted tenders in respect of public works contracts awarded by the Ministry of Works and Housing, Ministry of Education, and the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority.
“The Accused, in his capacity as the Chief Executive; a member of the Governing Board; and a member of the Due Diligence Unit of the Public Procurement Authority, conducted the procurement processes in respect of tenders in which Talent Discovery Limited was shortlisted; and he actively participated in the due diligence and decision-making processes leading to the selection of Talent Discovery Limited as the contractor in respect of the tenders, without disclosing his personal interest as the majority shareholder and a director of the company,” the OSP explained.
“The Accused also employed his position as the Chief Executive of the Public Procurement Authority to improperly alter the decision of the Governing Board of the Public Procurement Authority in respect of two(2) Ministry of Education contracts in favour of Talent Discovery Limited leading to the improper award of the contracts to Talent Discovery Limited.
“The Accused benefited personally and pecuniarily through the use of public office for profit and influencing the public procurement process to obtain unfair advantage in favour of Talent Discovery Limited, in respect of which he had a financial interest as the majority shareholder.
“After investigations, the Accused was duly charged with the offences on the charge,” the OSP stated
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
