EOCO seizes Ibrahim Mahama’s passport

The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) yesterday seized the passport of businessman Ibrahim Mahama when he made his second appearance before officials of the anti-graft agency.

With the travel document now in the custody of the EOCO, he has been subtly told that he cannot travel outside the country until the case he is facing is exhausted, it would appear.

Last week Thursday, Ibrahim Mahama received the invitation from EOCO to appear in order to answer questions regarding alleged dud cheques.

He arrived at EOCO’s offices on Tuesday with his lawyers in the morning and was grilled for several hours.

One of his boys – Member of Parliament for Ningo-Prampram, Sam George – confirmed Ibrahim’s invitation.

He stated that other than being asked to submit his travel documents today, Mr. Mahama also would be meeting the EOCO boss on Thursday (today).

The brother of former President John Dramani Mahama at the Tuesday meeting, was said to have been questioned on dud cheques he allegedly submitted to the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Agency (GRA) as duties for heavy duty equipment he imported into the country.

The cheques were alleged to be 44 in number and were submitted last year when the equipment arrived at the Port of Tema, DAILY GUIDE gathered.

He is expected to make another appearance today in furtherance of the investigations being undertaken by EOCO.

It appears that he would be meeting for the first time today the Executive Director of EOCO; the earlier appearances were thought to have been with the subordinates of the boss.

The seizure of the passport has prompted an assortment of conjectures, all of them pointing at a deepening of the investigations and the seriousness with which the anti-organised crime agency attaches to the case before it.

Ibrahim Mahama, Chief Executive Officer of Engineers & Planners (E&P), was said to have presented 44 bounced cheques to the GRA, making the country lose over GH¢10 million in revenue.

Dr. Nyaho-Nyaho Tamakloe, uncle of Ibrahim Mahama, has unexpectedly frowned at what in his opinion is the witch hunting of his nephew by the government, while speaking to an Accra-based radio station.

According to Dr Nyaho-Tamakloe, all businessmen do issue post-dated cheques and that was what Ibrahim did, saying that there was nothing wrong with it.

Mr. Mahama, he added, is not perturbed by the invitation from the EOCO, noting that “Ibrahim will never fail.”

The businessman, who was active in rendering financial support to his brother during the two campaigns in which he (brother) was candidate, did not hold any public office, but many thought he wielded power in the previous government hence the many suspicions about the comparative advantages in his favour when it came to bidding for juicy government contracts.

Although no charge has been preferred against him yet, it is also not known whether EOCO intends opening other cases against the businessman for which he has been cited.

He appears to be the biggest fish yet from the private sector with strong connection to the NDC to make an appearance at EOCO.

With EOCO not divulging details of its meetings with suspects who appear before it, media practitioners have to stretch their necks extra to gather the pieces and assemble same for their readers and listeners.

Former President John Mahama has not spoken about his brother’s invitation by EOCO yet; his first appearance last Tuesday having coincided with the day he was guest of President Akufo-Addo during the novelty engagement with former Presidents.