Ike 'Bazooka' Quartey Accuses Rawlings

…Over $195,000 To Ex-Minister

Ike Bazooka Quartey Jnr, former World Boxing Organizing (WBO) welterweight champion, has accused Mr. Ibrahim Adam, a former Minister of Food and Agriculture of selling a house valued at $195,000 to him without the accompanying documents.

In view of that he said he had to cough up an additional $50,000 to Ibrahim Adam's bankers the (Agricultural Development Bank), when the building was attached due to the former minister's alleged indebtedness to the bank. Before then he said the former President, Mr. Jerry John Rawlings, personally called him and asked him to lend an amount of $50,000 to Ibrahim Adam. Later he was told that the man had a property at East Legon, which he was selling, and he, Ike Bazooka expressed interest.

Ike therefore started renovating the house at an extra cost of $200,000 and $300,000 until the bank stopped him saying the owner of the building owed them $50,000. The former WBO champion added that although Mr. Ibrahim Adam promised to pay the amount through his lawyers, to date he still owed him and blamed the one who introduced Ibrahim Adam to him as having allegedly connived with the former minister to fleece him.

According to the boxer, he did not know Ibrahim Adam from anywhere. The house in question is situated at East Legon residential area on plot No.453. Meanwhile, Mr. Ibrahim Adam has conceded that he owes Ike Bazooka Quartey.Speaking on an Accra based radio station yesterday in reaction to Ike's allegations; he intimated that Ike was exaggerating the actual amount owed. According to him, Ike initially claimed that he owed him $60,000 but it's rather $50,000. Out of that amount he said he has already paid $30,000 to Ike. “Only last week, my lawyers wrote to him to re-negotiate the new payment terms, but we are yet to hear from the former WBO champion”, he pointed out. Narrating his ordeal, Ike Bazooka indicated that he feels swindled. This is because but for Rawlings' call to him, he would not have parted with his hard earned money to the former minister.

Ike Quartey is quoted in the radio interview as saying about four (4) years ago, Flt Lt Jerry Rawlings called him and asked him to lend $50,000 to Ibrahim Adam. When he enquired how the money was going to be paid back since he needed collateral for the loan, he said he was told that Mr. Adam had a building which he was selling for $195,000.

He said he therefore declared interest in purchasing the structure without knowing that Ibrahim had taken money from the bank which he had faulted to pay using the building as collateral. The former WBO champion explained that he had to go and pay Adam's indebtedness ($50,000) to the bank with the view that he would get documentation transferring the ownership of the house to his name, but to date, he claimed he has no title to the property.“Why should the old man (Rawlings) or Ibrahim treat me like that? he asked. Ike argued that since he did not know Ibrahim Adam but he was introduced to him by somebody then if Mr. Adam had failed to pay him, he would have to blame the one who introduced him to him. According to Ike Bazooka Quartey when former President Rawlings called him, he asked him to lend the minister the money and that if he failed to pay he could hold onto his house, but today Ibrahim Adam has not paid, describing it as “Day light robbery”.

He lamented that “the house is there, yet I don't have documents”. “I spent between $200,000 and $300,000 to renovate the house, then I was told that the bank has put their hand on it, he lamented. “The result is that I had to cough up another $50,000 with the understanding that the money would be refunded: However today, my lawyer would say this and that. I don't understand what's going on” he fumed. Ike indicated that he believes that somebody connived with Ibrahim Adam to deprive him of his money after training very hard and making a lot of sacrifices to earn what he termed “Beating Money”.

Continuing his explanation, Mr. Adam described as unfortunate the time chosen by Ike Bazooka Quartey to come out with the matter. “That he chose this time to come out is unfortunate”, he said. Mr. Adam remarked further that if Ike says he does not have documents covering the acquisition of the house, then that is a lie. “We gave him all the documents and since then, he has rented out the property”, he alleged. According to Mr. Adam, those who have dealt with lands department in Ghana would testify to the fact that assessing all relevant documents is not easy. It doesn't take one day, he argued.

He dared Ike to prove to the whole world that he did not take possession of the house shortly after payment. He charged: “Ask him the new payment terms”. At the time of filing the story, Daily Guide learnt that the former president was out of the country. A call placed to the cell phone of his special aide, could also not go through. It was explained that the two were away in Saudi Arabia.