I never stole NCA cash - William Tevie

William Tevie, a former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), has refuted allegations and publications by some news outlets that he is involved in a US$4m scandal that has rocked the Authority.

Mr Tevie indicated in a rejoinder that such publications are “diabolically concocted to mislead the reading public and tarnish my reputation” because “I have never, at any time, whether privately, before the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), or any state investigating agency, admitted that I, William Tevie, former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), accepted any money or monies, and which I have agreed to refund”.

A story had earlier been published by the Daily Guide to the effect that Mr Tevie had agreed to refund some of the monies. However, he insists that the publications are false and “therefore demanding an immediate retraction and an unqualified apology to me, failing which I will advise myself accordingly”.

The former appointee, together with two others who are being investigated by the BNI, according to Information Minister Mustapha Hamid, conspired with a private citizen to commit the act.

The former Mahama appointees being investigated, as named by Mr Hamid in an interview with Joy FM’s Kojo Yankson on Wednesday, 24 May, include Mr Eugene Baffoe-Bonney, former Board Chairman of the NCA; Mr William Tevie and Alhaji Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator.

Their conspirator is George Oppong. Mr Hamid said they engaged in the graft in connection with a contract between the Mahama administration and an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, in which the latter was to supply eavesdropping gadgets worth $6 million. The equipment were meant to help the government of Ghana monitor the calls of suspected terrorists.

In the course of the transaction, Mr Hamid said a local agent – Infraloks Development Limited – charged $2million as facilitation fee, bringing the total amount to $8million.

According to Mr Hamid, National Security, which did not have the funds for the equipment, allowed the NCA, which supervises the use of such equipment to fund the project.

The NCA top officials, he revealed, withdrew $4 million from the NCA’s kitty but gave only $1million to the Israeli firm.

However, Mr Tevie maintains that publications that implicate him are not and want a retraction and apology.

Find below the full rejoinder Rejoinder addressed to the Editor of the Daily Guide:

NCA Boss To Refund $1.5m Cash

The banner headline of your May 16, 2017, publication, ‘NCA boss to refund $1.5m cash’ is not only false but diabolically concocted to mislead the reading public and tarnish my reputation.

I have never, at any time, whether privately, before the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or any state investigating agency, admitted that I, William Tevie, Former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), accepted any money or monies, and which I have agreed to refund.

I was invited by the BNI and questioned about an allegation that some former Board Members of the NCA and I were given an amount of money to share. I categorically denied the allegation. If the alleged monies were given or received by anybody or group of persons, I am not aware and I was definitely not a party to it.

I hesitate to irresponsibly go into specifics because the transaction in question was handled by the National Security Council Secretariat because of its very sensitive nature. Your reportage on the issue was not only mischievous but also smacked of ill motive.

I am therefore demanding an immediate retraction and an unqualified apology to me failing which I will advise myself accordingly.

William Tevie

Former Director General

National Communications Authority