Serious Fraud Office clears official

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) on Friday cleared Mr P. O. Sackey, Director of Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), of allegations of financial malpractice levelled against him in 1999.

"The SFO has completed its investigative exercise and found nothing adverse against Mr Sackey, as far as the allegations levelled are concerned," Mr B. A. Sapati, SFO, Acting Executive Director, noted in a report made available to Ghana News Agency in Accra.

The SFO, in 1999 received allegations of fraudulent award of contracts to some consultants and companies by Mr Sackey in return for huge kickbacks. It was also alleged that Geo-Mechanik Company bought a BMW 5 series car for Mr. Sackey and sponsored a two-week visit to Germany for him and his wife.

Mr. Sackey was again alleged to have purchased a house costing 45,000 dollars at ABC Brewery, owned another, valued at 200 million cedis at Taifa and other houses at Koforidua and Somanya, all purported to have been acquired ostensibly from kickbacks he received from award of contracts.

Mr. Sapati said the SFO initiated investigations to examine tendering procedures of CWSA to establish whether it could be manipulated for selfish gains. Mr. Sackey was requested to complete an Assets Declaration Form also to establish the source of his assets.

The SFO report revealed that sources of funding for CWSA were from the government and donor agencies, which vet bidding documents on any project.

Mr Sapati said CWSA tenders are mostly international competitive bids, which are evaluated by consultants and reviewed by a technical committee for approval by its Board.

Finally, the result is sent to the funding agency concerned for a "no objection certificate". Payment of transactions is countersigned by the finance ministry and submitted to the funding agency for the contractor or consultant, whatever the case may be.

Mr. Sapati stressed that the accused was not linked to any of the companies listed in the allegation and that some of the alleged malpractice was before he took over as director of CWSA.

On the acquisition of houses, the report indicated that, "it is reasonable for Mr Sackey based on his qualification and number of years in public service both home and abroad to acquire such properties from genuine earnings."

The report indicated that Mr. Sackey was employed by Ghana Water and Sewerage Corporation in 1967 as an engineer and served in various top management positions until ultimately becoming Managing Director of CWSA in 1999.

The report found the allegation of ownership of a house at Taifa and ABC Brewery untrue. It found that Mr William Sackey, his son in the US, bought the BMW car for him.

It also noted that Mr. Sackey, during his tenure as Managing Director of CWSA travelled to Germany in 1995, 1997 and 1998, which were all official trips sanctioned by CWSA.

"In light of its findings, no evidence of wrongdoing could be adduced on the part of Mr P. O. Sackey during his tenure at CWSA. The SFO, therefore, regards the case as stood down."