Betty Mould Iddrisu Goes Wild

FORMER ATTORNEY-GENERAL and minister for Justice, Mrs Betty Mould-Iddrisu, yesterday, criticised members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament for taking a prejudicial stance against her over the Construction Pioneers (CP’s) €94 million judgment debt case.

The lady at the centre of CP’s €94 million judgment debt debacle, in her preliminary comments at the PAC’s public hearing on the debt, accused the committee chairman, Albert Kan-Dapaah, of allowing members of the committee to make prejudicial and criminal remarks against her.

“Mr. Chairman, I am sorry to say I have not been happy with the conduct of this committee and I am sorry to say that you sat down and allowed some members of the committee to question my integrity,” she charged.

According to her, the PAC members virtually accused her of being a fraudster who criminally and fraudulently connived with CP to defraud the state to the tune of €94 million, even though she claimed that she saved money for the country.

The former Attorney-General, who was led in evidence by her lead counsel, Nana Ato Dadzie, was also accompanied by some lawyers including Hudu Yahaya, Chris Ackumey, Mahama Ayariga and George Loh.

Betty was at the PAC to give evidence in the controversial judgment debt saga in which she spearheaded negotiations with CP and committed the state to pay €94 million to the construction firm for termination of some road contracts.

According to her, for the past five months, members of PAC presided over by the chairman, had grossly trampled upon her rights as enshrined in the 1992 constitution.

However, Mr. Kan-Dapaah could not contain her effusions, reacting angrily, “Madam Betty Mould-Iddrisu, I take serious exceptions to your claims and I hope you are not questioning my integrity.”

Registering his displeasure, the PAC Chairman asked Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu to substantiate her allegations.

But a member of the committee, John Akologu Tia, disagreed with the chairman and pleaded with the committee to go into camera and consider the issues raised by Betty, after which the committee could continue with the public hearing.

He indicated that Mr. Kan-Dapaah could not decide for the committee on the issue and that it should be a collective decision of the committee.

But Mr. Kan-Dapaah insisted that Betty should substantiate her claim.

Responding, the former Attorney-General accused a member of PAC, Isaac Asiamah, for supposedly accusing her of conspiring with CP to fraudulently waive taxes that were due the state.

According to her, the claim by Mr Asiamah, MP for Atwima Mponua, was an attack on her integrity, particularly when she had practised law for over 30 years and knew she did not have the power to waive taxes.

“This is unfortunate and very damaging to my person,” Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu stated, insisting she never waived any taxes for CP.

She also accused Mr. Kan-Dapaah of vilifying her, claiming the PAC chairman on one occasion waved a document which he said was the settlement agreement with CP and remarked, “Look at this. How can an agreement of this nature not be stamped and sign by a witness? This is fraudulent, unprofessional and cannot be accepted”.

Giving his ruling, Mr. Kan-Dapaah indicated that the allegations Betty was making would be raised by members, concluding that he saw nothing improper about the said comments

Partisanship

After a heated argument, calm prevailed and Betty gave her testimony amidst shouts by her party supporters who had besieged the conference room where the hearing took place.

CP’s Claim

The former Attorney-General told PAC that Construction Pioneers made a claim of €162 million, which was partly awarded by the international chamber of commerce arbitration and two road contracts worth €170 million as the settlement for the abrogated contracts.

However, she, together with her team, was able to negotiate and reduce the figure to €80 million, indicating that some €14 million that was paid before the final settlement agreement was reached was just for “expression of faith”.

According to her, the €14 million had already been okayed by Joe Ghartey, her predecessor.

She said her action saved Ghana from incurring further debt that was accruing on CP’s claim.

According to Mrs. Mould-Iddrisu, she had informed cabinet before she commenced negotiations with CP.

Asked whether she also informed cabinet before authorizing payment to CP after the final settlement agreement was reached, the former attorney-general stated she did not need to do so.

Allegations Against CP

Betty told the committee that allegations of fraud regarding tax evasion, over invoicing among others, amounting to billions of cedis to the state, which were contained in a report of former Serious Fraud Office (SFO) against CP were found to be baseless.

A former unnamed Director of SFO, she indicated, confirmed that.

That, according to her, was why the issue was not considered during negations with CP.