'Former Director couldn't sanction contract'

March 9, 2011 (Page 3 Lead)

A prosecution witness in the GH¢86,915.85 contract for renovation works at the Ministry of Information yesterday said a former director, who is also an accused person, did not have the authority to sanction the award of the contract.
According to Mr Godfred Agyapong, the Head of Audit at the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), Kofi Asamoah-Boateng, who was the Head of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Information, had ceased to be an employee of the Civil Service as of July 31, 2008 and, therefore, did not have the legal capacity to award the contract on October 16, 2008.
Kofi Asamoah-Boateng is standing trial with a former Minister at the Ministry of Information, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng; Zuleika Asamoah-Boateng, the wife of Mr Asamoah-Boateng; Frank Agyekum, a former Deputy Minister at the ministry; Kwabena Denkyira, a former Deputy Director of Finance and Administration at the ministry; Yasmin Domua and Prosper Aku of Supreme Procurement Agency Ltd, as well as the company as an entity.
They have been charged with contravening the Procurement Act. They are alleged to have conspired to contravene the Procurement Act by not following the due process in obtaining a contract amounting to GH¢86,915.85 for renovation works at the Ministry of Information.
Sampong is facing six counts of conspiracy, contravention of the Procurement Act, attempt to defraud, altering documents and deceit of public officer, while Agyekum has been charged with conspiracy, contravention of provision, attempt to defraud and deceit of public officer.
Domua, a manageress and cousin of Zuleika, is charged with conspiracy to commit crime, after which she was granted a GH¢10,000 bail with two sureties.
Kofi Asamoah-Boateng faces six counts of forgery of official document, possession of forged documents and forgery and possession of false document, while Denkyira faces a charge of conspiracy.
Prosper has also been charged with four counts of possession and forgery of document of architects, an engineering certificate and a false tender document.
All the accused persons have pleaded not guilty to the charges and have all been admitted to bail.
Led by a Chief State Attorney, Mr Anthony Gyambiby, to give his evidence-in-chief, Mr Agyapong said Kofi Asamoah-Boateng, who was then the Director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Tourism, could not give the investigative team documents to prove he was legally appointed by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service to head the Finance and Administration Department of the Ministry of Information.
The witness read another letter which quoted Kofi Asamoah-Boateng as retiring from the Civi Service with effect from October 15, 2008 to enable him to contest the Offinso parliamentary seat as an independent candidate.
The defence team had objected to the tendering of three letters, namely, one written by Mr Stephen Asamoah-Boateng requesting the Head of the Civil Service to renew Kofi’s contract for another year; a response from the then Chief Director at the Office of the Head of the Civil Service, as well as Kofi's letter of resignation, but the court overruled the objection.
According to Mr Agyapong, Kofi Asamoah-Boateng signed the contract letter a day after he had resigned from a position he never had the legal mandate to head.
Hearing continues today.