Ex-Minister Detained

By William Yaw Owusu

Wednesday April 7, 2010
The Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) yesterday interrogated former Deputy Finance and Economic Planning Minister, Professor George Gyan Baffuor, in connection with the Ghana International Airlines Limited (GIAL) saga.

The interrogation, which took place in Accra, lasted over 5 hours.

Prof Gyan-Baffour had earlier been declared missing by the prosecutor at last week’s hearing when in actual fact, he was in the country.

According to sources, Prof Gyan-Baffour was never part of the case and that his name only came up in court, with the acting Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Gertrude Aikins, allegedly using her pen to add his name to the charge sheet.

However, he was formally charged yesterday on three counts of ‘willfully causing financial loss to the state’ by approving monies to GIAL without authority. He is said to have denied the charges.
He is scheduled to appear in court on April 26, 2010.

This brings to five the number of New Patriotic Party (NPP) former government appointees and officials hauled before an Accra fast track High Court by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government for allegedly causing financial loss to the state.

The five, together with four other foreigners namely Ralph Atkins, Kirk Heaton, Albert Vitilis, and Bram Bresbury, are being accused of causing financial loss to the state to the tune of about $56 million through the various roles they allegedly played, leading to the formation of the Ghana International Airline (GIA).

In an interview with DAILY GUIDE in Accra yesterday, Patrick Boamah, one of the lawyers of Prof. Gyan Baffuor, confirmed the invitation by the police and said his client was still going through interrogation at the CID Headquarters.

He also confirmed that the issue was in connection with the GIAL but declined to comment further.

DAILY GUIDE gathered that his statement was taken yesterday.

On March 31, when counsel for the accused persons wanted to know who the persons at large were, Ms. Aikins mentioned Ralph Atkins, Kirk Heaton, Albert Vitilis, Bram Bresbury and Prof. George Yaw Gyan Baffuor, a former deputy Minister of Finance.

However, Atta Akyea, counsel for Dr. Akoto-Osei, was quick on his feet to inform the court that Prof. Gyan Baffour was at his mother’s funeral only last week and could not be at large.

Apart from Prof. Gyan Baffuor, who is also the MP for Wenchi, the former Ministers charged are Dr. Richard Anane of Roads and Transport and MP for Nhyiaeso; former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Dr. Anthony Akoto-Osei who is also the MP for Old Tafo; former Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani; and former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP Sammy Crabbe.

The four have already made an appearance before the court presided over by Justice Bright Mensah.

They faced 13 charges ranging from conspiracy to cause financial loss, causing financial loss and stealing.

Dr. Osei-Akoto was charged with seven counts of causing financial loss to the state and deceit of public officer, while Dr. Anane faced three counts of conspiracy to cause financial loss, willfully causing financial loss and defrauding the State of Ghana through Cabinet approval.

Mr. Crabbe, a minority shareholder in Ghana International Airlines Limited (GIAL), was also charged with causing financial loss to the state, conspiracy to steal and stealing, while Mr. Mpiani was charged with conspiracy to cause financial loss and causing financial loss to the state.

They pleaded not guilty to the offences and have been granted GH¢300,000 self-cognizance bail after their lawyers made bail applications and the case was subsequently adjourned to April 26, 2010.

Prof. Gyan Baffuor, at the time his colleagues were in court, was said to be delivering a lecture organized by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) in Accra.

Presenting the facts of the case on March 31, Ms. Gertrude Aikins, the acting Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), told the court that in 2004, following the extremely poor performance of the now defunct Ghana Airways, the Government of Ghana wanted a strategy to turn its fortunes around and word went round about government’s intentions.

According to her, Mr. Crabbe, after some efforts, presented a proposal to government even though no open proposals were made for its reconstruction, and said that a certain Mr. Ashiagbor of PriceWaterHouse Coopers, who was then on the proposal board to seek organisations to resuscitate the ailing national carrier, observed that GIA did not meet the criteria they had set.

She said other competitors like Fidelity Group, KLM and Kenya Airways had sent their proposals as well.

The acting DPP said the mistakes that led to causing financial loss to the state would have been avoided if Dr. Anane and Mr. Crabbe had gone about their activities strictly under the shareholders’ agreement.

She therefore noted that no investor wants to do business with the airline again because it has become “a floating coffin”.

Also see: www.dailyguideghana.com