GREL Case: Investigator Failed to Contact Auditors

It has emerged that the investigation team that probed the divestiture of the Ghana Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) did not contact the auditors of the company, Messrs Deliotte and Touche, in the course of their investigation.

A prosecution witness, Detective Sergeant Amidu Imoro, formerly of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters, yesterday told the Fast Track High Court that even though the team, comprising him and two other police officers, investigated stealing of funds at GREL, they did not contact the company's auditors, neither did they scrutinize the company's financial statement or bank account.

Sherry Ayittey, Treasurer of the 31st December Women's Movement (31st DWM), Emmanuel Agbodo, Executive Secretary of DIC, Ralph Casely-Hayford, a businessman and Dorcas Sati Ocran, a businesswoman and member of the 31st DWM are standing trial for corruption in connection with the divestiture of GREL in favour of Societe Industrielle Plantation Hevea (SIPH), a French company.

They have pleaded not guilty to charges of causing financial loss to the state and are on self-recognisance bail.

Sergeant Imoro told the court, presided over by Justice Amonoo-Monney, an Appeal court judge sitting as an additional High court judge during cross-examination by Mr. Quarshie Idun, counsel for Sherry Ayittey that the investigation team was acting upon instructions from ASP Issa to investigate the crime of stealing of funds that occurred at GREL.

According to witness, who is now at the Ministry of the Interior, the investigation of stealing by the team, which comprised his superior officer, ASP Issa, and Detective Sergeant Osae, was based on a tip-off by an informant.

He however said he could not reveal the identity of the informant, "My lord, I cannot disclose the identity of the informant, I don't know the identity of the complainant," witness told the court.

Sergeant Imoro said the complaint was referred to him together with the informant for further investigations.

He said GREL did not lodge any complaint to the police but the tip-off by the informant led to the arrest of an official of the company.

Sergeant Imoro said his examinations did not take into cognizance the minutes of the meetings of the board of directors of GREL even though his superior officer, ASP Issa, examined them.

Witness further informed the court of his knowledge, by the aid of ASP Issa, about a list of payments made to some people including the accused persons retrieved from Mr. Ettienne Poppeler, former managing director of GREL.

He said that the list formed the basis of his investigations but added that it was not his duty to ask Mr. Poppeler about the US$118,000 he (Poppeler) took from GREL's account for his Togolese friend, which was also part of the list of payments made.

"It was not my duty to ask about the US$118,000 taken out of GREL's account," witness noted.

Witness rejected counsel's suggestion that his investigation was not properly done because he did not contact key personalities and inspect the documents involved, such as the auditors and bank accounts of the company.