The High Court in Accra granted Col. (Rtd) Kwadwo Damoah, the Member of Parliament for Jaman South, leave to travel to London for a training programme from May 11–15.
Col. Damoah, a former Ghana Revenue Authority official, is standing trial with former Minister of Finance, Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta, for alleged criminal offences in the petroleum revenue assurance case involving Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
His lawyers filed a letter from the Minority Caucus in Parliament asking for leave to enable the accused travel to London.
State prosecutors from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) opposed the application, arguing that the supporting letter attached to the application originated from the Minority Caucus and not from Parliament as an institution.
The OSP further submitted that given the circumstances, it would have been more appropriate for the letter to have emanated from the Speaker of Parliament to reflect official institutional endorsement of an official travel to London to attend a training programme.
The OSP also argued that another member of the Minority Caucus, who is not standing trial, could have been selected for the programme.
The Court acknowledged the OSP’s concerns regarding the source of the supporting letter, but held that insufficient evidence had been presented to show that Col. (Rtd) Kwadwo Damoah, the sixth accused, would abscond if permitted to travel.
The Court consequently granted the application, ordering Col. Damoah to depart Ghana on May 9, 2026 and return on or before May 17, 2026.
The accused include former GRA Commissioner-Generals, Emmanuel Kofi Nti and Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah; former Customs Division Commissioners, Isaac Crentsil and Col. Damoah; Ernest Darko Akore, a former Aide to Ofori-Atta; Evans Adusei, CEO of SML; and SML itself.
The OSP has charged them with 78 counts, including causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit, willful oppression, unduly influencing the procurement process, and entering agreements binding government finances beyond one fiscal year without parliamentary approval.
The case stems from a revenue assurance contract awarded to SML under the previous government, which was later cancelled following a directive from President John Dramani Mahama.
The OSP’s case also followed public interest over alleged attempts to extradite Mr Ofori-Atta from the United States, where he maintains he is receiving medical treatment.
According to the charge sheet signed by the Special Prosector, Kissi Agyebeng, the accused allegedly hatched a “criminal enterprise” from 2017 to exploit the SML contract for private gains.
The contracts were allegedly awarded without genuine need, based on false claims that SML possessed unique technical expertise and systems.
The OSP further alleges that the company largely pretended to perform the contracted services, causing a financial loss of GH¢1,436,249,828.53 to the State.
The prosecution also claims that the six former government officials freely abused their offices, engaging in prohibited acts with “increased emboldened impunity” for personal benefit, while promoting the SML contracts through patronage and false representations.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
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