[ad_1]
An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Afia Asare Botwe has found Auditor General Daniel Domelovo guilty of contempt.
The court held that the reason given by Mr. Domelovo that he was busy completing an audit report for parliament, therefore, his failure to respond to an appeal seeking to set aside a surcharge is “unsustainable and a late occurrence.”
Chief Minister Yaw Osafo Maafo is in court calling for Domelovo to be punished for failing to respond to his case by contesting a $ 1 million surcharge.
His lawyers want the court to impose a prison sentence or any appropriate sanctions against Domelovo.
The Auditor General’s office insisted that Yaw Osafo Maafo unfairly caused $ 1 million to be paid to a UK-based consulting firm, Kroll and Associates, to carry out investigations on behalf of the government.
He has pointed out that there was no valid contract between the UK Company and the Ghana government when Kroll & Associates started working in 2017.
High’s Business Division was hearing the case before, but the Chief Justice requested the case document after a referral from the court manager.
A statement issued by the Judicial Secretary explained that the case file was requested by the President of the Supreme Court to correct the errors in the presentation of keys.
He added that the case should have been filed with the Financial and Economic Division rather than the Commercial Division.
The office, therefore, transferred the case to one of the courts of the division chaired by Justice Afia Asare Botwe.
Judge Botwe in his ruling said that the law requiring the Auditor General to respond to appeals of his surcharge within 14 days is good law.
He also stated that the evidence in court shows that Mr. Domelovo was duly treated and that his lack of response was intentional.
The Auditor General’s attorney, Thaddeus Sory, asked the court to be lenient on the sentence after the guilty verdict.
Judge Botwe said the court notes the important role the Auditor General plays and does not want to discourage him.
She said, however, that her office is always slow to respond to such appeals. Then she chose a precaution and fire him.
