Former Northern Development Authority CEO and Three Others Convicted in Procurement Case
A High Court in Tamale has reportedly convicted former Northern Development Authority (NDA) Chief Executive Officer Sumaila Abdul-Rahman and three others in a long-running corruption case involving a procurement contract under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP).
The other individuals named in the case are Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen, a former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations at the NDA; Patrick Seidu, a former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration; and Andrew Kuundaari, Chief Executive Officer of A&QS Consortium Limited.
The prosecution was brought by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), which investigated allegations of corruption and procurement irregularities connected to a consultancy contract awarded by the NDA to A&QS Consortium Limited.
The case centred on allegations that the accused persons acted together to influence the procurement process in order to obtain an unfair advantage for the company in the award of the contract.
According to the prosecution’s case, the contract sum, initially approved at GH¢5.72 million, was allegedly increased to GH¢10.4 million without the necessary lawful authority. The investigation focused on the circumstances surrounding the contract award and the conduct of the officials involved.
The accused persons faced 11 counts of corruption and corruption-related offences, including conspiracy to influence a procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage, influencing procurement processes and corruption involving public officers.
The case followed an investigation launched by the OSP in June 2022. On July 1 of that year, the Special Prosecutor directed the Controller and Accountant-General to freeze payments arising from the contract while investigations continued.
The four individuals were subsequently charged and arraigned before the Criminal Division of the High Court in Tamale in January 2023.
In April 2024, the court dismissed a submission of no case to answer filed by the accused persons. The ruling meant the prosecution had established a prima facie case requiring the accused to open their defence.
The defence proceedings continued over several hearings, with the accused persons and their witnesses presenting evidence. The trial eventually reached its concluding stage after the parties completed their respective cases and submissions.
The reported convictions mark a significant development in a prosecution that has attracted public attention because of the alleged financial implications and the involvement of former senior officials of a public institution.
The case also highlights the importance of accountability in public procurement, where contract awards and variations involving public funds are expected to comply with established legal and administrative procedures.
Public procurement plays a central role in the implementation of government development programmes. Allegations of irregularities can therefore raise concerns about transparency, value for money and the effective use of resources intended to support communities.
The full reasoning behind the court’s reported verdict, as well as the sentences imposed on the four individuals, was not confirmed in the information available for this report.
Source: Thepressradio.com
