Gerald Appiah started paying GHS540,000 infraction Auditor-General flagged, not GHS55 million EOCO claims — Sammi Awuku

Member of Parliament for Akuapem North, Sammi Awuku, has questioned the circumstances surrounding the arrest of Dennis "Miracles" Aboagye by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), arguing that the payment allegedly linked to the former government official is unrelated to the GH¢55 million case cited by investigators.

Speaking on UTV, Mr. Awuku said the matter involving Mr. Aboagye originated from an Auditor-General's audit query concerning a payment of about GH¢540,000.

"There was an audit infraction. Mind you, the Auditor-General had finished their job. Then they flagged a questionable payment that was made – GHS540,000 or so," he said.

According to the MP, the amount currently being refunded by the former accountant of the Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD), Gerald Appiah, is the same amount highlighted in the Auditor-General's report and not the GH¢55 million referenced by EOCO.

"This is the one they claim Gerald Appiah, the former accountant at IMCCoD, has started paying. It is not the GHS55 million one," he stated.

Mr. Awuku said he had spoken with Mr. Appiah's legal team on Monday, July 13, and was convinced the two matters were separate. He questioned whether EOCO was attempting to link Mr. Appiah's case to the allegations against Mr. Aboagye.

He said the lawyers had maintained throughout the investigations that the funds Mr. Appiah was refunding had no connection with Mr. Aboagye.

According to Mr. Awuku, the repayment process is almost complete, with only about GH¢70,000 outstanding after the Auditor-General imposed a surcharge on Mr. Appiah. He added that the former accountant had been granted a three-month period to settle the remaining balance.

The Akuapem North legislator stressed that he was not seeking to pronounce Mr. Aboagye guilty or innocent but believed the manner of his arrest and detention raised legitimate concerns about possible political motivations.

He noted that before travelling abroad, Mr. Aboagye had appeared on Joy News' Newsfile programme, where he criticised the government's handling of illegal mining and commented on allegations that President John Dramani Mahama was seeking a third term, among other national issues.

Mr. Awuku also questioned why EOCO proceeded with the arrest despite claims by Mr. Aboagye's lawyers that they had maintained regular communication with the investigative body.

He further advised political appointees serving under President Mahama to carry out their responsibilities diligently.

"They have to cross every i and dot every t," he said, adding that "just as there is accountability today, there'll be accountability tomorrow".

He concluded by saying he was pleased that officials of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) and government appointees were taking the current political environment seriously.