Award-winning investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has drawn the attention of the public in his latest publication to Ernest Akore, one of the accused persons in the SML scandal.

Ernest Akore, together with former Minister of Finance Ken Ofori-Atta and six others, have been charged with 78 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences by the Office of the Special Prosecutor in connection with the Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) revenue assurance contract and related matters.

Although the Government of Ghana has also submitted an extradition request for Ernest Akore Darko, the Chef de Cabinet of Ken Ofori-Atta, to the US authorities, as it has done for Ofori-Atta, not much is heard about the progress on Akore.

Manasseh Azure Awuni, in his write-up, indicated that although the attention given to Ofori-Atta is justified to some extent, the case of Akore also needs to be followed.

He also asserted that the Chef de Cabinet of Ofori-Atta is believed to be in the United States, having travelled to the US on November 19, 2024, with a ten-year US passport, which is expected to expire on August 4, 2031.

“Unlike Ken Ofori-Atta, whose legal status in the United States has expired, Ernest Akore did not need a visa to travel to the United States three weeks before the 2024 election. He holds a U.S. passport, in addition to his Ghanaian passport. This may make his return to Ghana harder, unlike his former boss, who could be deported from the U.S. if his change-of-status application fails.

“Ernest Darko Akore, born in Accra, Ghana, on February 5, 1958, left Ghana on November 19, 2024, for New York on Delta Airlines Flight 156. Mr Akore travelled on a 10-year U.S. passport, issued on August 5, 2021, and expiring on August 4, 2031. He also holds a Ghanaian passport, issued in Accra on January 3, 2020, and valid until January 2, 2030,” he added.

He went on to list the charges the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has slapped Akore with as follows:

1. Conspiracy to commit the criminal offence of causing financial loss to the Republic contrary to sections 23(1) and 179A (3)(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).

2. Conspiracy to commit the criminal offence of wilful oppression contrary to sections 23(1) and 239(1) & (3) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) as amended by section 1 of the Criminal Offences (Amendment) Act, 2020 (Act 1034).

3. Conspiracy to commit the criminal offence of directly or indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of a procurement contract, contrary to section 23(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and section 92(2)(b) of the Public Procurement Act, 2003 (Act 663).



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