... For Causing Financial Loss Over Gial Affair

Four officials in the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government, Messrs Kwame Mpiani, Richard Anane, Anthony Akoto Osei and Richard Crabbe were today arraigned before the Accra Fast Track High to face charges of conspiracy to and wilfully causing financial loss to the state as well as conspiracy to steal and stealing. The court presided over by Justice Mensah adjourned the case after it learnt that the accused persons were yet to be served the writ. Only second accused person, Samuel Crabbe was in court.

In a thirteen-point statement of claim filed by the Attorney General’s Department the four government officials and five others, reportedly at large, in diverse ways conspired to cause losses to the state in millions of United States dollars.

Former Roads and Highways Minister, Richard Anane, Samuel Crabbe, former Greater Accra Regional Chairman of the NPP and President of Unger Oaks Limited, a previous member of the minority shareholders of the Ghana International Airlines Limited (GIAL) have been charged with agreeing to act together with a common purpose to wilfully cause financial loss to the State to the tune of USD$ 4,900,000.00.

They were also charged with conspiracy to and wilfully causing financial loss to the state contrary to sections 23 (1) and 179A (3) (a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

The second count charged Messrs Anane and Crabbe with wilfully causing financial loss to the state to the tune of USD$4,900,000.00 between August 2004 and January 2009.

Dr Anane is also charged with defrauding the state of Ghana by false pretences contrary to section 131 of the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29). He reportedly falsely represented to cabinet on September 9, 2004 that GIA-USA-LLC made up of World Transport Group and Sentry had the capacity to join government in creating a new airline as a result of which by false representation he got cabinet approval to liquidate Ghana Airways.

Former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning Anthony Akoto Osei is also charged with wilfully causing financial loss to the state for causing to be released USD$ 2,326,275.00, USD$673,725.00, USD$400,000.00, USD$1,600,000.00 and 1,239,285.35 between October 2007 and January 25, 2008 to GIAL without authority.

Dr Akoto Osei is also charged with causing financial loss to the state by guaranteeing or causing SSNIT to release USD$15,000,000.00 to GIAL without securing the loan.

The writ also charges Dr Akoto Osei with deceit of public officer contrary to section 251 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) for allegedly falsely making representation to parliament to approve USD$15,000,000.00 purportedly as additional money to fund the equity of the government of Ghana in GIAL. Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, former Chief of Staff at the Castle has also been charged with causing financial loss to the state for causing to be released an amount of USD$6,000,000.00 to GIAL in September 2008 without authority.

Samuel Crabbe, J. Ralph Atkin now at large and H. Kirk Heaton also at large have been charged with conspiracy to steal and stealing for acting together with a common purpose to dishonestly appropriate the property of GIAL and dishonestly appropriating an amount of USD$1,900,000.00 belonging to GIAL.

It will be recalled that the Attorney General’s department confirmed conclusion of investigations on the GIAL matter late last week and hinted that charges would be preferred against the accused on Monday March 29.

Investigations on GIAL according to the AG’s department commenced upon the assumption of office of the Mills Administration in January 2009.