National Security denied access to pink sheets

Joy News has learnt the Registrar of the Supreme Court on Thursday rejected an offer by personnel of National Security, for the protection of the soon to be audited pink sheets.

Sources close to the Judicial Service say they are satisfied the sheets are safe at the registry and would not require additional security.

The security personnel had demanded keys to the court registry to guard the sheets and ensure no one tampers with it whilst steps were being taken to audit it.

Their action follows the ruling by the Supreme Court judges on Thursday that, accounting firm KPMG should conduct an audit into the over 11,000 pink sheets submitted by the petitioners after the respondents told the court what they have received, falls far below what the petitioners have listed in their affidavits.

Lawyer for the NDC, Tsatsu Tsikata had claimed the number of pink sheets they received from the petitioners was less than they claimed, and requested an audit be conducted.

The Supreme Court also ordered parties in the case to pay a deposit of 15,000 cedis as an administrative fee for the auditing. This should mean that each of the parties would pay 5,000 Ghana cedis. The amount is to be used in settling part of the auditing by accounting firm, KPMG.

However, the Service is yet to officially inform KPMG about the court’s ruling, which will inform the auditing firm on how to proceed with the process.

Meanwhile, Joy News has learnt it could cost about 100 thousand dollars for an audit to be carried out on the pink sheet exhibits by KPMG.

Joy News sources have hinted the cost is expected to cover what could be described as "the high risk nature" of the audit, and the personnel required to carry out the work.

However, spokesperson for the petitioners' legal team Yaw Buabeng Asamoah has told Joy News, KPMG should consider their selection to audit the evidence as a corporate social responsibility.

He said even if the firm cannot give out the fee entirely, it should reduce the cost considerably because it goes to improve democracy.

“More importantly, without open bidding, the Supreme Court recognises you [KPMG] capacity...that is more than enough advertisement for KPMG worldwide; it is more than enough future business for KPMG worldwide”, he stated.

According to Yaw Buabeng Assamoah, KPMG stands to gain from the exercise.