Former deputy National Security Coordinator jailed for causing financial loss to the state granted presidential pardon

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has granted a presidential pardon to a former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman.

Alhaji Osman is serving a five-year jail term for willfully causing financial loss to the state, as part of a scandal at the National Communications Authority (NCA) during tenure of William Matthew Tetteh Tevie as Director-General of the NCA.

Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman was sentenced to a five-year jail term in 2020.

A letter from the Office of the President dated August 1, 2023, signed by the Secretary to the President, Nana Bediatuo Asante and addressed to the Minister of Interior explained that the decision to grant pardon was taken in consultation with the Council of State.

The Minister of Interior has since been directed to ensure immediate implementation.

The letter explained that the presidential pardon followed a petition from the Paramount Chief of Kpembi Traditional Area, Kpembewura Haruna Dari Bismark Banbange Ndefoso I.

The petition sought the pardon and release of Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman on the grounds of ill-health and good behaviour.

Related: NCA $4m scandal: Baffoe-Bonnie, Tevie and Osman jailed for causing financial loss

The Accra High Court in May 2020 sentenced three former government officials to various terms in prison after convicting them of willfully causing financial loss of $4m to the state.

Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, a former board chairman of the National Communication Authority (NCA) was handed six years imprisonment for his part in the $4m NCA scandal.

William Matthew Tetteh Tevie, a former Director-General of the NCA and Alhaji Salifu Mimina Osman, a former Deputy National Security Coordinator were each sentenced to five years imprisonment for also causing financial loss to the state in the scandal.

Baffoe-Bonnie received more years because the court held that he personally benefited from the deal to a tune of $200,000.

The court, presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, also ordered the State to seize assets of the convicts to the tune of $3 million since the state recovered only $1 million of the amount.

The three were found guilty of indulging in acts that led the State to lose the amount in a deal purchase of a cyber security surveillance equipment, known as the Pegasus machine, for the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), which was sponsored by the NCA.

A businessman - George Derek Oppong, whose company acted as local agent for the company said to have supplied the equipment was however, acquitted and discharged by the court.

The court held that the prosecution could not prove its case against the businessman and also that whatever infractions that occurred during the deal were occasioned by the acts of Baffoe-Bonnie, Tevie and Osman.

According to the court presided over by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour, the prosecution proved the guilt of the three persons beyond reasonable doubt.

Attached below is a copy of the letter from the office of the President: