IT facilitated 1.5-million dollar scandal

The Deputy Chief Manager of the Bank Of Ghana (BOG), Rolland Addy Tetteh has told the Accra Regional Tribunal that modern information technology facilitated the 1.5 million-dollar bank draft scandal for which Hajia Baby Ocansey is facing prosecution.

Mr Tetteh, the second prosecution witness, referred to telex and fax messages while giving evidence in the case in which a bank in New York dishonoured a fake bank draft.

The witness who was a member of a committee to find the circumstances, under which payment of the draft was made, stated that as a result of the information technology BOG lost 1.5 million dollars, which it could not immediately recover.

Amina B. Abubakari-Sidiq, alias Baby Ocansey, 60, a trader, Sabastian Dick Kobla Nukpui Gavor, a banker, Justice Archibold Nee Ofosu Larbie, a banker and Alhaji Sidiq Gimala, a trader, are charged variously with conspiracy to commit crime, causing financial loss to the state, stealing, possessing forged documents and uttering forged documents.

They have all denied the charges and have been admitted to 500,000 dollars bail with one surety each to be justified. Ocansey is however still in prison custody because she is unable to meet the bail conditions. It is for this reason that her counsel, Mr. Godfred D.A. Laryea prayed the tribunal to reduce the bail sum from one million dollars to 500,000 dollars. He also said the prison authorities have been making it difficult for him to meet his client.

The tribunal chaired by Mr Isaac Douse, who renewed the bail term, reduced the bail sum to 500,000 dollars with one surety to be justified instead of two sureties, considering the accused person's house at Gbawe in Accra, her three cars and a cash of 30,000 dollars in her account. He said there should be a valuation report and the surety should deposit his or her passport to the police.

Mr Tetteh told the tribunal that general findings of the committee included the observation that the banking department flouted the specification for handling a draft. He said it was the view of the committee that the banking department of BOG should not have dealt with City Bank of New York, but Ghana International Bank (GIB), London. He said when the draft was cleared, the proceeds should have been credited to Gavor's dollar account with GIB. The GIB would then advice BOG that the account has been credited. BOG would then credit Gavor's account for the benefit of Ocansey's account.

Witness stressed that the banking department violated its own operational procedures by not waiting for the three full weeks, after receipt of the conditional credit advice. According to the witness, the banking department should have waited to hear from City Bank, which would have confirmed that the funds were received and credited to BOG account.

He said it was established that earlier the City Bank sent a message stating that the cheque was dishonoured. Witnessed said the fraud was hidden from management of BOG for five months.

When Mr Anthony Gyambiby, Principal State Attorney asked Mr Tetteh to clarify "Swiss message" he explained that it is a society of world-wide inter-bank funds transfer. When asked in what way was the procedure not complied with, witness said proceeds after the clearance of the draft by the correspondence bank, must be confirmed by "Swiss message" and statement of account, as further guide with the correspondence bank.

He said in the course of his investigation, he interviewed Mrs Angelina Mensah, a cashier, Mr Ashie Djanie, schedule officer, Mrs Nyarko and Mrs Caroline Kessie, all of BOG. The case was adjourned to June 11, at the instance of counsel for Ocansey to enable him to study some documents.