MICHAEL AKANBERG AND ACCOUNTANT GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT [2000]DLCHRAJ5956

Date	2000-04-23
Suit No.	Our Ref: CHRAJ/219/2000/1339
Citation No.	[2000]DLCHRAJ5956

BENJAMIN K. OPPONG

[2000]DLCHRAJ5956
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													<main id="main" class="content" style="min-height: 60rem" ><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B050">MICHAEL AKANBERG <o:p></o:p>(COMPLAINANT)<o:p></o:p>AND<o:p></o:p><span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:
115%;font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;,&quot;serif&quot;;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;
mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Book Antiqua&quot;;color:#00B050">ACCOUNTANT GENERAL'S
DEPARTMENT <o:p></o:p>(RESPONDENT)<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin-bottom:5.0pt;text-align:center;
mso-pagination:none;border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:0in;mso-padding-alt:0in 0in 1.0pt 0in">(CHRAJ)<o:p></o:p>

Our Ref: CHRAJ/219/2000/1339&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;DATE: 23/04/2000<o:p></o:p>

</div>commissioner:<o:p></o:p>BENJAMIN K. OPPONG DEPUTY COMMISSIONER FOR
COMMISSIONER<o:p></o:p><div style="mso-element:para-border-div;border:none;border-bottom:solid windowtext 1.5pt;
padding:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">

<p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="text-align:center;mso-pagination:none;
border:none;mso-border-bottom-alt:solid windowtext 1.5pt;padding:0in;
mso-padding-alt:31.0pt 31.0pt 1.0pt 31.0pt;mso-border-shadow:yes">DECISION <o:p></o:p>

</div>INTRODUCTION:<o:p></o:p>The complainant protested the termination
of his appointment in February, 1995 for his alleged involvement in fraud at
the Bosomtwi/Atwima Kwanwoma District Assembly. While he insists on his
innocence, the respondent accuses him of being part of a syndicate involved in
the fraud.<o:p></o:p>The
issue to determine, therefore is whether the complainant is privy to the
offence as alleged.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>COMPLAINANT'S CASE:<o:p></o:p>The
complainant stated that he was an employee of the respondent institution in
charge of processing the salaries of workers in the Greater Accra Region. In
October 1998 some financial malpractices were detected at the Bosomtwi/Atwima
Kwanwoma District Assembly of Ashanti Region involving, among others, a friend
of the Complainant's working in the Ashanti Region from whom he had earlier on
borrowed an amount of $300,000.00. The Complainant said he was wrongfully
implicated in the case. The matter was investigated by the Serious Fraud Office
(SFO).<o:p></o:p>The
SFO exonerated him but made him refund the amount of $300,000 to the sate on
the suspicion that it was part of the booty arising from the deal under
reference. The matter did not end there. The Respondent constituted a
Disciplinary Committee to investigate the matter. The Committee found that the
said friend of the Complainant had inserted "ghost" names on pay
rolls and made us of the monies so accrued. It was the contention of the
complainant that since he was dealing with salaries involving the personnel of
the Greater Accra Region, he could not have been involved in inserting
"ghost" names in the Ashanti Region which was someone else's
schedule.<o:p></o:p>The complainant concluded that, in spite
of being cleared by the SFO and the inability of the Departmental enquiry to
establish any prima facie case of his involvement, the Respondent proceeded to
terminate his appointment. The Complainant considered that to be wrongful.<o:p></o:p><o:p>&nbsp;</o:p>RESPONDENT'S CASE<o:p></o:p>