The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has arrested the acting Head of Legal at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Freeman Sarbah. According to the Office, Mr. Sarbah is under investigation for suspected corruption and corruption-related offences, as well as obstruction of justice, in respect of the GRA–Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract.
Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng last week announced completion of investigations into the contract and indicted 6 individual including former finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta. The other officials to be charged according to the SP are the Chef de Cabinet to Ken Ofori-Atta as Minister of Finance, Ernest Akore; former Commissioner-General of the GRA, Emmanuel Kofi Nti; former Commissioner-General of the GRA, Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah; former Commissioner of the Customs Division and current General Manager of SML, Isaac Crentsil; and former Commissioner of the Customs Division and current Member of Parliament for Jaman South, Kwadwo Damoah.
Mr. Agyebeng disclosed charges will be filed against the aforementioned this month. He concluded the revenue assurance contract was needless and a scheme to siphon public funds.
President Mahama subsequently directed for the contract to be terminated which has since been done.
Mr. Agyebeng disclosed he would also pursue the recovery of GH¢125 million from SML itself, describing the amount as unjust enrichment resulting from overpayments made for services that were either substandard, minimally performed, or not rendered at all.
Click here for the full address by the Special Prosecutor on the GRA-SML deal:
