A businessman with a very shady past, one Charles Oppong-Kyekyeku who managed to scheme his way into Ghana’s political class to land contract for the purchase and supply of Akufo-Addo’s 270 ambulances has been exposed as a convicted fraudster.
The judge who sat on the fraud case, Judge Georges Khayat QC, described Charles Oppong-Kyekyeku as “a thoroughly dishonest person” undeserving to hold any incorporated title or company directorship for the next 8 years.
The businessman who heads the UK Star Construction and Trading Group Luxury World Auto Group Limited which is linked to the 270 Akufo-Addo ambulances was found guilty of presenting fake invoices of over Ghc2million [£245,000] in the United Kingdom where he was jailed for three years.
He rushed back to Ghana after jumping bail only to be forced back three years later to serve his full sentence which ended June 15, 2016.
While many gave him benefit of the doubt as an ex-convict, Charles Oppong Kyekyeku appeared to have become more sophisticated after his jail term.
This time he forged documents with a value of USD$189,000 which he purported to be from a United Arab Emirates-based spare parts company Al-Amani Spare Parts LLC, a reputable international company.
Oppong Kyekyeku allegedly forged the official letterhead, the logo and other information of Al Amani details of which MyNewsGh.com has intercepted.
Analysts have wondered why the government of Ghana under the erstwhile Special Development Initiatives Ministry failed to undertake basic due diligence on the partners it was using for the ambulance procurement.
It therefore came as no surprise when one of the ambulances with a standing service agreement was sighted in a suburb of Accra carting cement. Mr. Oppong Kyekyekus company has since taken full responsibility for it.
Information available to MyNewsGh.com indicates the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) was investigating the said Charles Oppong Kyekyeku over dealings that were fishy since he emerged from jail. Further details are yet to go out.
