Some leading members of UK-Ireland branch of the NDC have accused the former Roads and Highways Minister, Dr Ato Quashie, of swindling a Ghanaian businessman, name withheld, for huge sums of money in a transaction which is likely to land the former minister in court soon.
Documents available to The Tide intelligence unit alleged that, Dr. Ato Quashie entered into an agreement with the said businessman for a loan of over 1 billion cedis to resuscitate his business.
The money was given to him on the condition that in the supreme interest of the NDC, Dr Ato Quashie, was to step down as an Independent candidate for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo Constituency which is currently occupied by the Deputy Minister of Trade, Dr Danny Annan.
Lawyers to the said businessman privy to the negotiations told The Tide that Dr Ato Quashie appended his signature to the deal and left Accra to Elmina only to renege on the terms of the agreement including his commitment to step down as an independent candidate.
When the Public Relations Officer to Dr Ato Quashie, Michael Nkrumah, was contacted by The Tide last week, he confirmed that Dr Ato Quashie has filed his nomination to contest as independent candidate and has already started campaigning in the Constituency.
It would be recalled that The Tide broke the story of Dr Ato Quashie’s pledge to step down as an independent candidate less than two weeks ago but in a sharp rebuttal, Michael Nkrumah, denied The Tide’s story and stated categorically that even though some of his influential colleagues have tried to talk him out but as characteristic of Dr Ato Quashie, he declined.
Michael Nkrumah further told The Tide that Dr Ato Quashie has decided not to bow out and will never do so.
But documents intercepted by The Tide from some Executive of UK-Ireland branch of the NDC confirmed Dr Ato Quashie has indeed used his candidature to broker a loan which he has not revealed to members of the NDC in the KEEA Constituency.
Dr Ato Quashie has been linked to several fraudulent scandals including the infamous Maybey and Johnson Scandal for allegedly taking 55, 000 pounds sterling as bribe in the award of contracts during the Rawlings regime.
A former Director of the Serious Fraud Office, now EOCO, Theophilous Cudjoe has publicly stated that Dr Ato Quashie remains a fugitive and must be charged and prosecuted for his role in the controversial CP judgment.
He told members of the Public Accounts Committee of Parliament that Dr Ato Quashie run away from justice after he was indicted by a 1993 SFO report and charged with conspiracy to defraud the state.
According to Cudjoe, Dr Ato Quashie was indicted after a thorough investigation and was charged together with the former General Manager of Construction Pioneers Ltd, Robert Ploetner for conspiracy to defraud the State.
Dr Ato Quashie was among the men in the Rawlings regime that were hauled before the Commission on Justice and Human Rights by The Ghanaian Chronicle for allegedly using their offices to amass wealth.
