I later got to know about money transfers - Anane

Accra, April 27, GNA - Dr Richard Winfred Anane, Minister of Road Transport, on Wednesday told the Investigative Panel of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) that he got to know that his former special assistant transferred monies to Miss Alexandria Anane for the upkeep of Nicholas, their son.

Making the revelation when he testified at the Panel's sitting in Accra, Dr Anane said Mr Collins Kwame Duodu-Bonsu in his evidence, told the Commission that he transferred a total amount of 72,000 dollars to Miss Alexandria in the United States between 2001 and 2004. The Road Transport Minister is being investigated by CHRAJ over certain allegations bordering on corruption, conflict of interest, and abuse of office.

Following adverse media publications against Dr Anane and a petition to Parliament by Mr Raymond Archer, Editor-in-Chief of "The Enquirer" newspaper, the Commission on its own decided to get to the bottom of the matter through a public hearing and the calling of witnesses to assist it with vital information.

Out of 10 witnesses that the Commission intends to call, eight, including Mr Archer, Miss Alexandria and Mrs Mercy Anane, wife of the Minister, have so far given evidence before the three-member Panel. Continuing with his evidence, Dr Anane told the Commission that he made his special assistant aware of the relationship between him and Alexandria when she started talking about financial support for her and their son.

He said when he got to know later that Duodu-Bonsu had remitted so much to Alexandria, he was taken aback about his behaviour. Dr Anane told the Commission that he had since not seen Duodu-Bonsu to express his appreciation to him for the assistance. Dr Anane disagreed with a suggestion by Dr Philip Bondzie-Simpson, Counsel for the Commission, that he actually was aware of the money transfers through his special assistant.

The Road Transport Minister told the Commission that Alexandria only drew his attention to a 2,000-dollar-remittance to her from Duodu-Bonsu, which according to her, bounced.

Counsel suggested to Dr Anane that he not only transferred the 72,000 dollars, but he also facilitated its transfer to Alexandria. Dr Anane told the Commission that Duodu-Bonsu was only a friend and because it was not his duty to cater for Alexandria that was why he made those remittances without he Dr Anane's knowledge.

Asked by Counsel for the Commission whether Alexandria was his wife, Dr Anane replied in the negative, adding, however, that "she wants to be called Alexandria O'Brien Anane".

Explaining, Dr Anane said Alexandria called him one day and requested that she used his name so that their son, Nicholas, would not be called a bastard.

The Road Transport Minister said he agreed to the request with the remark: "Why not; because the child is my son." Counsel at this stage mentioned names like Captain Kwakwa, Captain Mfodjoe and Mr Ignatius Poku Adusei, Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, and Dr Anane said he knew Captain Kwakwa and the Deputy Minister, who was a personal friend, but had only heard the name of Captain Mfodjoe.

He said he knew Captain Kwakwa when he was Chairman of the Interim Management Committee of Civil Aviation.

In answer to a suggestion that as a Minister responsible for Aviation, Dr Anane saw to the transfer of some monies to Alexandria through Captain Kwakwa, he replied in the negative.

He said it was not true that he and Mr Poku Adusei were expecting an amount of 20,000 dollars from a road contractor.

Asked by Counsel whether he knew Raymond Archer, Dr Anane said he once came to his office and introduced himself as a reporter from "The Chronicle".

Dr Anane said since Mr Archer came with issues on Aviation, he handed him over to his Deputy responsible for Aviation matters, Mr Adjei Boye.

Dr Anane said when Mr Archer wanted to touch on matters relating to Alexandria, he brushed him off telling him that that was his own private matter.

The matter has been adjourned to Thursday, April 27 for Dr Anane, who is being represented by a team of five lawyers led by Mr Jacob Acquah-Sampson, to continue with his testimony.