PPA Case: Former PPA CEO granted bail together with brother-in-law

Accra, May 25, GNA- An Accra High Court has granted Adjenim Boateng Adjei, the former Public Procurement Authority Chief Executive Officer, a GHS5million bail with two sureties on 17 counts of corruption-related charges.

He is facing eight 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.

Mr Adjenim Boateng Adjei has been charged alongside his brother-in-law, Mr Francis Kwaku Arhin, who was also charged with one count of using public office for profit.

Mr Arhin was also granted a GHS5million bail with two sureties.

The sureties are to be justified and are to deposit their national identity cards with the registry of the Court.

Mr Boateng Adjei is to deposit his passport with the registry of the Court until the final determination of the case.

The Court warned Mr Arhin not to do anything that would force the Court to rescind his bail.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Mr Kwame Boateng, Counsel for Mr Boateng Adjei, initially applying for bail, said there was a little history to the investigation that had come to court. 

He said it started about two years ago and at that time the accused was cautioned and granted a self recognisance bail and was cooperating with the investigation.

The Counsel said order was granted to freeze all his bank accounts and even after that “we continued to be very cooperative up to now.”

Mr Boateng said the accused was not a flight risk at all under any circumstances and had many businesses.

“He has a fixed place of abode known to the investigators and a known Ghanaian. 

There is a civil aspect of the case that we are still pursuing,” he added.

He said they would religiously do whatever was required of them by way of appearing before the Court to stand trial.

“If the Court is willing, we are ready to produce people of substance to stand as sureties,” he said. 

Mr Kweku Owusu Addo, Counsel for Mr Arhin, said the accused person had cooperated with the Office of the Special Prosecutor and had a fixed place of abode and was a businessman. 

Mr Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, said the prosecution was not opposed to the grant of bail. 

He said, “we have had no cause as to why they should not be granted bail.”

He said in respect of Mr Boateng Adjei especially their investigations uncovered some substantial amount of GHS41million in his bank accounts. “We leave it to your discretion.” 

The Court has asked the Special Prosecutor to file all disclosures and documents they intended to rely on for their case and serve the accused persons within four weeks.

They are also to file all witness statements and serve the same on the accused persons.

The accused persons are also to file a list of witnesses they intended to call in their defence.

The case adjourned to June 28, 2022.

Source: Ghana News Agency