GHANA: 3 Top NDC Officials Took Bribes--UK Court

A landmark ruling in the UK has named several Ghanaian politicians from the ruling National Democratic Congress as having once received bribes from a British construction firm Mabey & Johnson in the 1980s and the 1990s.

The British construction firm was ordered to pay £5m after it pleaded guilty to involvement in overseas corruption and breaching UN sanctions.

Mabey & Johnson tried to influence officials in Jamaica and Ghana when bidding for public contracts.

It also paid more than $200,000 (£123,000) to Saddam Hussein's Iraq regime, violating the terms of the UN oil for food programme.

Mabey & Johnson confessed its wrongdoing to the UK Serious Fraud Office.

The Reading-based bridge builders secured contracts worth £60 million by bribing foreign politicians and other officials.

A judge at Southwark Crown Court in London, on Friday, fined the firm £3.5m. It was also ordered to pay a £1.1m confiscation order and £350,000 in prosecution costs.

In addition the company has made £1,413,611 available as reparations to Ghana, Jamaica and Iraq.

Following extensive discussions with the Serious Fraud Office, it pleaded guilty to two charges of conspiracy to corrupt and one charge of breaching UN sanctions on Iraq.

In Ghana

Kingpins of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government including Dr Sipa Yankey, Mr Kwame Peprah and Dr Ato Quarshie were mentioned as having received bribes from the company.

Dr Ato Quarshie who is a former Works and Housing Minister is said to have taken a cheque for £55,000 in 1995, whilst Health Minister Dr Sipa Yankey reportedly received a total of £10,500, lawyers for Mabey & Johnson said in court.

Other persons including one Mohammed Seidu took £5,000; Edward Attipoe received £10,000; and Alhaji Sidique Boniface allegedly picked some £500 for school fees.

The company is said to have lobbied the government officials then through one Kwame Ofori whose influence had waned as at 1996.

The lobbyist was reportedly replaced by the then Treasurer of the ruling party with Baba Kamara, who was then thought to be very tactful and could influence tough persons such as Dr Obed Asamoah and Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings, both of whom held key positions.

However, the payouts “were not directly related to contracts and projects” executed by Mabey & Johnson.

The UK-based company is said to have executed three contracts, – totaling £26 million – two priority bridges and a bridge along a feeder road. The exact locations of the bridges were not mentioned.

The case is the first time a UK company has admitted in court that it was involved in overseas corruption and the breach of UN sanctions.

Friday’s hearing is be the first time the facts of the case have been heard in court, Christopher Hope of the Telegraph reported.

Source: BBC/peacefmonline with extracts from Myjoyonline

COMMENTS (16)

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Name: KWASI ASARE

WHAT IS GOING ON THERE IN GHANA, MY BELOVED COUNTRY? DID PEACE FM REPORT THAT NPP TOOK BRIBES OR WHAT? I TOLD YOU AND SOME OF YOU NEVER LISTENED. HOW CAN YOU TRUST NDC. THE ECONOMY WILL COLLAPSE UNDER THIS GOVT. THEY ARE VERY CORRUPT, MYOPIC, VERY VIOLENT AND HATERS OF PEACE. ALL THEIR MOTIVES IS TO ATTACK EVERYTHING ASHANTI. HAVING NO REGARD TO THE FACT THAT THE MORE YOU HATE SOMEBODY, THE MORE YOU MAKE THAT PERSON STRONG. LOOK AT RAWLING, LOOK AT MILLS TOO, SOMEBODY WHO LACKS CONFIDENCE,, TALK TO YOU AGAIN LATER.

Name: Collins

Why do you think the Kufour govenment put some of them like Sepa Yankey in Prison. They are very corrupt and Rawlings is their boss. He (Rawlings) and his wife good their good share of the bribes. You ask Sepa Yankey whether I am lying. Ato Ahoi took a lot of bribes for Jerry Rawlings. Ask him too. God save Ghana.

Name: nelson

NPP OR NDC, BONIFACE IS STILL BONIFACE. THEY ARE ALL THE SAME. SIMPLY CORRUPT. PLEASE LEAVE PEACE FM ALONE AND LET THEM DO THEIR WORK.

Name: Latest Update

Ghana Ato Qarshie (former roads minister) £55,000 Saddique Bonniface [minister of works] £25,500 Amadu Seidu [former deputy roads minister £10,000 Edward Lord-Attivor (chairman inter-city transport corp) £10,000 Dr George Sepah-Yankey (health minister) £15,000 Check this link: http://u.tv/News/British-firm-Mabey-and-Johnson-convicted-of-bribing-foreign-politicians/00d356ed-c1d5-4c6f-b145-87d4c408ecfd

Name: kingsley in ireland

Thieves who parade themselves as the champions of probity and accountabilty and turn arround to accuse innocent people of being corrupt. Chief thief, jerry rawlings and the rest of his pen robbers, have been named in Norwagien court, Nigeria's EFCC, and now the British courts as being corrupt. Thieves!!!!

Name: Boniface should sue for fair share

It make sense for Boniface to switch camp; the man got only 500 pounds. Not enough for kyinkyinga. Infact Boniface should sue NDC for his fair share of the booty.

Name: Thanks for the Correction PeaceFM

Thank You.... good job well done!! this is NDC gig not NPP.

Name: Obrefo

Why!!!! I'm very disappointed. Are you trying to say Maybe and Johnson did not pay for Kyinkyinga? It has to be somewhere in the official document. More will come out. Both NDC and NPP leader are corrupt and should be exposed. "Asem beba debi"

Name: Can Someone give me PeaceFM Phone No?

Someone should call the station and tell them off. How can they do something like this? Why draw NPP into this? Bad journalism

Name: kubu

please, peace fm be very careful Boniface was not an NPP member then, he came to NPP to change