By – Sadat Dabo

A High Court in Tamale has convicted four persons, including three former executives of the Northern Development Authority (NDA), on seven counts of corruption and corruption-related offences linked to procurement contracts under the government’s Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP)

The convictions were secured on Friday, October 23, 2026, following a prosecution initiated and conducted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP)

The accused persons are Sumaila Abdul-Rahman, former Chief Executive of the NDA; Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations; Patrick Seidu, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration; and Andrew Kuundaari, Chief Executive of A&QS Consortium Limited, a private company

According to the OSP, the four were convicted on seven out of the eleven counts brought against them, involving alleged attempts to influence the procurement process to secure unfair advantages in the award of contracts, corruption by a public officer, and corruption of a public officer

Court opts for fines instead of imprisonment

Despite the convictions, the court declined to impose custodial sentences on the four convicts, citing their advanced ages and the swift intervention by the OSP to prevent unlawful payments under the contracts

The court reportedly determined that no financial loss had been caused to the Republic because the OSP acted promptly to stop the payments

Instead of imprisonment, the court imposed a penalty of 1,000 penalty units for each count

The decision raises important public-interest questions about the punishment of corruption-related offences, particularly where public officials and private-sector actors are found guilty of conduct involving public procurement

While the absence of financial loss may have influenced the court’s decision, the case also highlights the importance of preventive action by anti-corruption institutions in protecting public funds

Case followed complaint by lawyer Martin Kpebu

The prosecution followed investigations by the Office of the Special Prosecutor after a complaint was filed by legal practitioner Martin Kpebu

The case centred on procurement contracts awarded under IPEP, a government programme intended to support infrastructure development and poverty eradication

The OSP led the prosecution, which resulted in the convictions announced on October 23

OSP reaffirms commitment to fighting corruption

In a statement issued on Friday, the Office of the Special Prosecutor reaffirmed its commitment to safeguarding public funds and ensuring accountability for public officials and their collaborators in the private sector

The convictions mark a significant development in the prosecution of alleged corruption involving public procurement and underscore the role of anti-corruption investigations in preventing questionable payments before they result in financial losses to the state

However, the court’s decision to impose fines rather than custodial sentences is likely to generate further public debate over whether financial penalties provide a sufficient deterrent against corruption involving public resources

Source – gbcuraonline.com