Selormey Charged with Fraud

The former Deputy Minister of Finance, Mr Victor Selormey, is to be arraigned before court for fraud and causing financial loss to the state to the tune of more than $1 million.

Mr Selormey should have appeared in court last Friday, but was alleged to have reported sick to the police, resulting in the postponement of the trial. No date has been fixed for hearing to commence.

According to Graphic investigations, the ex-deputy minister reported last Monday to the police.

The investigations, however, indicate that Mr Selormey has denied his involvement in any attempt to defraud the state.

Mr Selormey is alleged to have authorised the payment of the amount to a Dr Boadu, a Ghanaian resident in the United States, to undertake consultancy services under the Court Computerisation Project.

Graphic investigations have revealed that Dr Boadu never performed any job in connection with the computerisaton project.

It has also been established that there are no documents detailing the type of consultancy services provided by him.

The computerisation project forms part of private-sector-led reforms of the Judicial Service being sponsored by the World Bank.

It would be recalled that Mr Selormey was arrested at the Kotoka International Airport on April 15, on his arrival from a trip abroad.

His arrest generated a heated debate between leading members of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress as to why the ex-deputy minister should be arrested on arrival.

Some people felt that Mr Selormey should have been told to report to the security agencies while others thought there was nothing wrong with arresting him.

Mr Selormey was later granted bail and has since then been assisting the police in their investigations into the case.