Accra, Jan. 18, – Mrs Abena
Asafu-Adjei, the Director, Legal and Administration, National Communication
Authority (NCA) says conducting cyber security surveillance had not been part
of the mandate of the authority.
According to Mrs Asafu-Adjei said
until recently, the NCA did not have cyber security unit.
Answering questions under
cross-examination by Mr Thaddeus Sory counsel for Mr Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, Mrs
Asafu-Adjei admitted that it was only last year that the authority cyber
security unit was set up under the Information Communication (IT) Unit of the
NCA.
Baffoe-Bonnie, former Board
Chairman; William Tetteh Tevie, a former Director General; and Nana Owusu
Ensaw, a former board member and two other are before the High court
(Commercial division) over financial impropriety at the NCA.
The two others are Alhaji Salifu
Mimina Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator; and George Derrick
Oppong, a Director of Infralocks Development Limited (IDL).
They have been variously charged
with willfully causing financial loss to the State, conspiracy to steal and
stealing, using public office for private gain, in contravention of the Public
Procurement Act, Money laundering and intentionally misapplying public
property.
The five, all pleaded not guilty
and are on a bail of one-million dollars each as well as three sureties each.
Mrs Asafu-Adjei recounted that
for past 14 years that she worked with the NCA, she had never heard of any
request from that the National Security Council had made request to the NCA.
To her, Mrs Asafu-Adjei said the
National Security had the biggest budget that any organisation in the country
adding “money was not a problem to the National Security. It is a notorious
fact that they have money and they don’t account for money spent.””
She disagreed with counsel’s
suggestion that the cyber security system was procured following National
Security Council’s request under the NCA’s Institutional Support and donations.
The first prosecution witness
explained that if the cyber security system was made the National Security
Council, it would have been captured in the NCA’s Board meeting and minutes.
According to her she became aware
of the National Security Council letter request for institutional support after
the case investigator had showed the said letter to her.
She said the same letter was also
not captured by the NCA Board.
The witness said payments by NCA
was normally effected after the board of NCA’s has approved it.
Mrs Asafu-Adjei recounted that
one of the institutional support and donation made by the NCA was to the Ghana
Broadcasting Corporation (GBC).
According to her GBC was given
over 2.2 million institutional support after the Ministry of Communication had
written to them and same was discussed and approved by the NCA Board.
Mrs Asafu-Adjei debunked Mr Sory
assertion that she was bitter and has decided to pay back the Ist accused
(Baffoe-Bonnie) because at a point when she was asked to proceed on leave.
The witness explained that though
she was sad over her “proceed on leave letter”, Baffoe Bonnie has been a good
friend and she had embarked on some official trips with him.
Mrs Asafu-Adjei said she raised
questions about her leave because there were other workers at NCA who had
several years of accumulated leave but were still at post.
Answering further questions by Mr
Agbesi Dzakpasu, counsel for Tevie, the witness agreed that the NCA Board
operated under the authority’s terms of reference.
Counsel therefore prayed the
court presided over by Mr Justice Eric Kyei-Baffour to produce the terms of
reference in court.
Mr Samuel Cudjoe, counsel for
Ensaw prayed the court to order prosecution to produce all witness statement to
defence counsel.
The court however asked Mr Cudjoe
to make a formal application to that effect. It further ordered Mrs Asafu-Adjei
to produce the NCA board’s terms of reference in court at the next sitting.
Sometime in 2015, the accused
persons without authorisation took a decision to purchase a Cyber Surveillance
system, which they claimed was to be used for anti-terrorism operations.
The system which was to be used
in the fight against terrorism, reportedly has some of its components missing,
and it cannot be utilised.
On December 22, last year, three
persons, including Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, former NCA Board Chairman and two
others were hauled before the court for allegedly fraudulently purchasing of
the Cyber Security Surveillance systems at a value of eight million dollars.
Sitting continues on February 23.
GNA
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