SFO Under Pressure To Make Findings Public

The Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has been called upon to release its report on an investigation into a 3 billion-cedi scandal at the Free Zones Board. That investigation was initiated by the Minister of Regional Integration and NEPAD, Dr. Kofi Konadu Apraku, into the stewardship of the former director of the Free Zones Board, Kwadwo Ntim Attuahene.

Mr. Attuahene is alleged to have incurred an expenditure of over 3 billion cedis without approval from his board. Although the investigation is believed to have been completed over a year now, the SFO is yet to submit a report to the Minister.

However, information filtering in from SFO sources indicates that the Minister, who ordered the investigation, has himself been implicated in the scandal. According to the “Evening News”, Dr. Apraku is alleged to have diverted resources from the Free Zones Board to furnish his private office for his political activities.

The newspaper also alleged that the current director of the Free Zones Board, Andy Appiah-Kubi acted as a front man for Dr. Apraku to secure the office. In an interview with Joy FM, Mr. Appiah-Kubi dismissed the Evening News report saying attention has been diverted from the man who mismanaged the affairs of the Free Zones Board, Mr. Attuahene.

He also denied the Evening News report that he acted as a front man for the Minister and rather accused the newspaper of carrying an agenda against government functionaries. “We suspect that they are some faceless elements behind those publications. Not that we don’t know. We know the people who are behind it and at the appropriate time we shall name them”, he noted.

Mr Appiah-Kubi also wondered why the SFO has not as yet submitted its report on the investigation to the Minister.

The News Editor of the Evening Newspaper, Ken Nunoo, has also expressed concern about the delay in releasing the findings of the Free Zones investigation. Mr. Nunoo however denied allegations that the paper was being used by some elements saying that the release of the report will vindicate the paper.