Monday, 08 December

OSP defends handling of former PPA boss case, adjourned to Jan. 20

Crime
Special Prosecutor Kissia Agyabeng and former PPA boss Adjenim Boateng Adjei

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has responded to growing public criticism over its management of the case involving former Public Procurement Authority (PPA) Chief Executive Officer, Adjenim Boateng Adjei, insisting that the prosecution remains active and on track.

In a statement released on its official Facebook page, the OSP said the matter heard again on December 8, 2025 is progressing, adding that a motion has been filed to introduce an additional witness.

The office stressed that since the current Special Prosecutor took charge, the case has been handled with diligence, noting that an internal assessment of the docket led to a review and adjustment of the prosecution’s approach.

The update comes in the wake of concerns raised by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, whose 2019 exposé brought the scandal to light. He had recently criticised what he described as the slow movement of the trial.

Mr. Adjei faces eight counts, including abuse of public office for personal gain and manipulating procurement procedures to secure undue benefits. The allegations relate to activities between March 2017 and August 2019, during which he is accused of influencing contract awards for personal advantage.

In 2024, he was also charged in connection with Talent Discovery Limited (TDL), a company alleged to have been used to win state contracts improperly.

The scandal became widely known after the 2019 investigative documentary “Contracts for Sale,” which resulted in Mr. Adjei’s dismissal by then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, based on recommendations from the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ).

According to the OSP, the current leadership inherited the case and subsequently refined the prosecution strategy to better serve the state’s interests.

 

The trial is scheduled to resume on January 20, 2026.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Zita Okwang