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Lenin Anane Adjei Nelson, lawyer for Ghanaian broadcast journalist and former Board Chair of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Paul Adom-Otchere, has criticised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over the bail conditions set for his client's release.
According to him, the requirement for Mr Adom-Otchere to present two landed properties, of unspecified value, registered in his own name is excessive and unreasonable.
Speaking in an interview on Channel One TV on Thursday, 31 July, Mr Adjei Nelson argued that the condition appeared deliberately structured to keep his client in detention. He stated:
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The statement by the OSP and everything I have seen is misplaced. The challenge the OSP has created is essentially to give the dog a bad name in order to hang it. It is unreasonable, in the context of bail, to require an accused person to produce properties registered in his own name.
He further remarked:
The shocking fact is that without assessing the profile of the suspect, the OSP insisted on two landed properties in his name. The suspect has clearly stated that he does not own any such property. This makes the condition appear calculated to detain him unfairly.
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Mr Adjei Nelson revealed that the legal team is considering filing a motion in court to request a review of the bail conditions.
Background
In a statement issued on Thursday, 31 July, the OSP disclosed that it had interviewed and formally charged Mr Adom-Otchere along with two others: Otchere Kwame Baffour Awuah, Group Executive, Commercial Services at GACL, and Albert Adjetey Adjei-Laryea, Chief Executive Officer of Devnest Systems.
Mr Adom-Otchere was required to present two landed properties (of unspecified value) registered in his name. However, he informed the OSP that he does not own any landed property in Ghana and as a result, remains in custody until the bail terms are fulfilled.
This action forms part of ongoing investigations into a revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Airports Company Limited and a private firm reportedly owned by the proprietor of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML).
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The investigation centres on possible breaches of procurement laws, including the award of a sole-sourced contract to a company other than the one officially approved by the GACL Board.