Indicted former SSNIT quartet yet to be charged - AG

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Ms Gloria Akuffo says her outfit was studying the docket on the controversial Operational Business Suite (OBS) which cost the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) US$72 million.

The Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) has indicted four persons - former SSNIT Director-General, Mr Ernest Thompson, Mrs Juliet Hasana Krama, the CEO of Perfect Business Systems, Mr John Hagan Mensah, former SSNIT OBS Project Manager and Mr Caleb Afaglo, a former GM in charge of Management Information Systems at SSNIT for willfully causing financial loss to the state in acquiring the said software.

According to Ms Gloria Akuffo, her outfit has received a docket on the matter from EOCO and is studying it before charges are brought against the said officials.

She told Accra-based Oman FM that the quartet cannot be officially charged until she is done studying the documents from EOCO.

Ms Akuffo also disclosed that her outfit has also requested for additional documents from relevant stakeholders including auditing firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

"EOCO has been investigating the matter and a docket has been brought to my office. We are still going through the docket before we can prefer charges against them," she said in the interview on Oman FM.

According to her, the four former SSNIT officials have not yet been officially charged with any crimes.

Meanwhile, lawyers for former SSNIT Director-General, Mr Ernest Thompson are alleging political persecution of their client, saying approval for the procurement of the OBS was granted before he took office.