The dismissed Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), Adjenim Boateng Adjei has sued the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), with the claim that he was not treated fairly in the ‘Contract for Sale’ probe conducted by the institution.
In the suit filed at the Accra High Court, Mr. Adjei accused CHRAJ of breaching the principle of natural justice by keeping some vital information from him and his representation.
He alleged that, he and his lawyers were kept in the dark over witnesses whose testimonies CHRAJ based on to make its judgment.
The former PPA boss said that, his lawyers were not given the chance to cross-examine the witnesses and also he was not allowed to comment on certain findings made by the Commission in its work.
He indicated that, the Commission made quite a number of trips to different locations in gathering evidence which informed its decision, but the Commission never invited him on any of the trips as well as not giving him the chance to speak to the findings of those trips.
“CHRAJ made several site trips to several locations to gather evidence which it relied on to arrive at their decision. I was never invited to be present at any of these site trips, nor was I allowed to respond or cross-examine the evidence gathered at these site trips.
“By denying me the opportunity to access, respond and cross-examine statements, witnesses and evidence that the respondents relied on to arrive at their decision, the [CHRAJ] acted in breach of natural justice and failed to give me a fair hearing. If given the chance to access, respond and cross-examine the various documents, witnesses and evidence relied on by [CHRAJ] in their report, I would.” He added.
Mr. Adjei is thus praying the High Court to overrule CHRAJ’s report and annul it from the records.
He is also pleading the court to revoke President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s directive asking him to vacate his post, a decision which was based on the findings of CHRAJ.
CHRAJ had said the money accounted for in Mr. Adjei accounts since assuming office in 2017 stood at GHS 14.8 million from his four Dollar and Euro accounts held at two banks.
According to CHRAJ, Mr. Adjei could not satisfactorily explain the source of those huge sums of monies that passed through his bank accounts between March 2017 and August 2019.
Mr. Adjei, who was earlier suspended in August 2019, was sacked by President Akufo-Addo on October 30, 2020, based on recommendations from CHRAJ.
He was found guilty of conflict of interest by CHRAJ after it was done with its investigation.
The President directed CHRAJ to investigate Mr. Adjei after he was caught in compromising positions in an investigative piece by freelance journalist, Manasseh Awuni Azure in 2019.
The President directed the Office of the Special Persecutor to look into the corruption aspect of the case and also directed CHRAJ to investigate the dismissed PPA boss for conflict of interest.
