Ex-Minister Faces Probe ... Over Importation of Military Vehicles

Chronicle Intelligence has learnt that the Special Investigation Task Force (SITF) has begun investigations into the ?5 billion scandal involving the purchase of unauthorized military vehicles by the Ex- Defence Minister in the run up to the December 2000 elections.

Already, Chronicle has gathered that the SITF has invited Mr. Totobi Quakyi, Ex-Minister for National Security in connection with the investigations and he is expected to make an appearance today.

Mr. Totobi Quakyi confirmed to the Chronicle last Friday that he had been invited and in connection with the importation of the military vehicles by the Ex-Defence Minister.

The SITF investigations into the importation of the unauthorized military vehicles come four months after Chronicle exposed the deal.

A report of a Board of Enquiry instituted by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) into the purchase of the 30 Bedford vehicles and 15 Land Rovers in the run up to the December elections indicted the former Minister for Defence, Lt.

Col. E. K. T. Donkor, for swerving GAF to purchase the said vehicles.

The ages of the vehicles ranged between 15-28 years. The vehicles were impounded by the Customs Exercise and Preventive Services (CEPS) upon arrival at the Tema harbour because they were over-aged.

It emerged that the former Defence Minister also violated the Ghana Armed Forces Procurement process. The vehicles did not also fall within the GAF specifications. Chronicle reported in August this year that the arrival of the vehicles in the country were planned to coincide with the December 2000 elections .

According to intelligence reports, the clandestine importation of these vehicles into the country was part of a grand plan by some top hierarchy of the previous government to unleash terror on the electorate and destabilize the last elections.

According to Intel reports, the said vehicles were to be used without number plates by some soldiers even though they were going to bear military colours.

Insiders told Chronicle in August this year that the former minister for Defence, Lt. Col. E. K. T. Donkor, who was determined to meat the December deadline for the arrival of the vehicles in the country shipped the consignment of vehicles at a 'special cost'.

But luck eluded him as the shipping agent could not meet the December deadline.

By Armed Forces regulations, the former Minister for Defence has no powers to decide by himself to import vehicles for the Ghana Armed Forces because it does not fall under his jurisdiction.

Chronicle sources within the Armed Forces explained that the decision to purchase the vehicles if it was without ulterior motive should have begun from the Supply and Transport (S&T) Department .

From the S&T level the sources noted that the transaction should have been evaluated by the Armed Forces Procurement Department after which it should have been scrutinized by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

The above procedures were not followed by the Minister, who single-handedly handled the transaction. "E.K.T Donkor was not just an ordinary Minister, he was a former military officer.

He knew that he was not supposed to do what he did but he has done it on several occasions and the time has come for him to face the consequences", Chronicle sources said in June.

After several months of waiting Chronicle could not obtain an official response from the Armed Forces.

Chronicle made a protest call on the new Minister for Defence, Addo Kufuor, in August this year.

The affable Minister (Addo Kufuor) declined to disclose the findings and recommendations of the Board of Enquiry because, according to him he had forwarded it to the Attorney General for advice.

"It is too early to comment on this report because it is too sensitive. It also borders on the man's reputation so I have submitted the report to the A-G" the minister told Chronicle in August this year.

Another significant revelation involving the importation of the vehicle was that Lt. Col. E.K T. Donkor allegedly hijacked the transaction from the original supplier and used his receipts/quotations to cover the cost of the deal.

Impeccable sources within the Armed Forces told Chronicle that after the Minister and the original supplier had completed arrangements regarding the supply of the vehicles, he (Minister) swerved the supplier and purchased the vehicles from an unknown source.

Upon his arrival in Ghana, the Ex-Minister allegedly presented the quotations/receipts he obtained from the original supplier to cover the transaction making it look as if it was the supplier who had sold the vehicles to the Ghana Armed Forces.

The initial supplier, whose name existed only on paper, was quoted to have told the board which investigated the scandal that he was himself looking for the ex-Minister for causing financial loss to him as a result of expensive hotel bills.