New details reveal that Adjenim Boateng Adjei, the ousted chief executive officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), has emptied his frozen bank accounts amidst ongoing investigations into his conduct.
Sources report that Adjei cleared out his accounts prior to the appointment of the current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, who took office after the funds were frozen.
The scandal, known as the “Contracts for Sale” saga, led to Adjei’s dismissal following revelations of substantial unexplained deposits into his accounts during his tenure, totaling over GHc41 million cedis.
An investigative documentary titled “Contracts for Sale,” produced by Manasseh Azure Awuni, prompted President Akufo-Addo to suspend Adjei in August 2019.
The documentary exposed how Adjei’s company, Talent Discovery Limited, secured government contracts through questionable means and subsequently sold them without authorization.
Adjei faced further scrutiny from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), which found him guilty of conflict of interest and other offenses.
CHRAJ imposed a 10-year ban on him from holding public office, a decision upheld by the high court after Adjei’s appeal.
The Special Prosecutor at the time, Martin ABK Amidu, also commended CHRAJ’s findings but noted discrepancies in the reported amounts in Adjei’s bank statements compared to actual deposits.
The latest development indicates that Adjei managed to access his frozen accounts by securing a court order to lift the freeze, subsequently withdrawing all funds.
The case raises questions about oversight from agencies like the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC), which could have intervened to prevent such withdrawals or flagged suspicious transactions during Adjei’s tenure.
With ongoing investigations into corruption-related cases, including the “Contracts for Sale” scandal, the spotlight remains on whether Adjei will face prosecution for his role in the contract sales or the unexplained wealth amassed during his time at the PPA, or both.