BNI investigates Free Zones scandal

The Bureau of National Investigation (BNI) has taken over the case of the 3bn cedis financial scandal that rocked the Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB) recently. This follows the completion of the financial aspect of the case by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO).

It is believed that the BNI has taken over the investigations because of the alleged involvement of the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Kofi Apraku. A source at the SFO told The Evening News that the BNI was investigating the other criminal aspects of the scandal, which is beyond the SFO.

It said that the BNI had taken over the investigations because of the serious nature of the case, in which Dr Konadu Apraku, had been accused by K.N. Atuahene, former director of GFZB for directing him to do certain things.

But Dr Apraku has flatly denied being investigated by the SFO and the BNI. He explained that it was he, who wrote to the SFO to alert them of the scandal. According to him, he had never appeared before any of the two investigative bodies for interrogations.

He said it was rather an official from the SFO and the BNI who came to his office to find out certain facts from him to assist them in their investigations.

Dr Apraku said he had no hand in the appointment of Ralph Baffour Awuah whom, it was alleged, was employed on his orders. He said the GFZB had its own process of employment and pointed out that the sector Minister has no hand in that process. The Minister, however, appealed to the public to exercise restraint and wait for the outcome of the SFO report.

Meanwhile, what remains unresolved is the whereabouts of Raphael Baffuor Awuah, the 33-year-old monitoring and estate officer who took a clean pair of heels from the headquarters of the SFO during the middle of an interrogation in the afternoon of Friday 12 July 2002.

Another SFO source hinted that Baffour Awuah, the prime suspect in the scandal, who happened to be an errand boy for the Trade and Industry Minister, when he was an opposition MP was allocated the Sakumono MPs flat of Dr Apraku.

The Evening News investigations can confirm that the said house with number D/9 was given to Awuah by the Minister because he (the Minister) had been allocated another ministerial bungalow.

The investigations also confirmed that Awuah had since his escape, vacated his residence. However, an International Police Organisation (INTERPOL) source told The Evening News that no report had been made to it by the SFO since the escape of Awuah from the headquarters of the SFO in the middle of interrogations.

A highly placed source at the GFZB stated emphatically that Baffour Awuah had fled the country, when the paper contacted the Board. It said the SFO did nothing to trace the whereabouts of Baffour Awuah, the prime suspect since its mandate was only to investigate the financial scandal.

The SFO took over investigations into the alleged case of 3bn cedis financial scandal during the short tenure of office of K.N. Atuahene, the immediate past director of the GFZB.

This followed the completion of forensic audit into the tenure of Atuahene, which was ordered by the Board of Directors of GFZB following accusations of reckless spending during his tenure. The Evening News could not reach the Director of BNI for his comments but a male voice on the telephone confirmed the story, saying, “do you doubt the SFO?”