Former NCA Boss, 2 others Jailed for Causing Financial Loss to State

The Accra High Court has sentenced three former government officials to various terms in prison after convicting them of causing financial loss of $4m to the state.

The three to serve jail terms are; a former Director-General of the NCA, William Matthew Tetteh Tevie, a former board chairman of the National Communication Authority (NCA)Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, and a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman.

Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie will serve six years imprisonment for his part in the $4m NCA scandal.

William Matthew Tetteh Tevie and Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman were each sentenced to five years imprisonment for also causing financial loss to the state in the scandal.

Baffoe - Bonnie received more years because the court held that he personally benefited from the deal to a tune of $200,000

The court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, also ordered the State to seize assets of the convicts to the tune of $3 million since the state has only recovered $1 million of the amount.

The three were found guilty of indulging in acts that led the State to lose the amount in a deal purchase of a cyber security surveillance equipment, known as the Pegasus machine, for the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which was sponsored by the NCA.

A businessman - George Derek Oppong, whose company acted as local agent for the company said to have supplied the equipment was however, acquitted and discharged by the court.

The court held that the prosecution could not prove its case against the businessman and also that whatever infractions that occurred during the deal were occasioned by the acts of Baffoe-Bonnie, Tevie and Osman.

This is the first corruption case that was filed by the NPP government when it assumed power in 2017.

Prosecution led by the state from January 16, 2018, called six witnesses to make a case against the accused persons included the jailed three and a former NCA board member, Nana Owusu Ensaw.

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Nana Owusu Ensaw, however, filed an appeal and got a ruling in his favour leading to his discharge.

Among the charges were stealing, using public office for personal gains, and willfully causing financial loss to the state in respect of the purchase of a Pegasus machine worth $4 million, to among other things assist in the fight against terrorism.

According to the court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, the prosecution proved the guilt of the three persons beyond reasonable doubt.

He said evidence showed that the transaction did not have the approval of the NCA’s board, and a loss was occasioned to the state.