Former board chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) Paul Adom-Otchere was detained by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) yesterday Thursday July 31.
Labelled as a “suspect” by the OSP, he was interrogated, charged and granted bail but was unable to meet the conditions. The bail term was that he submits documents of two landed properties of his in Ghana of no special value.
According to a statement posted on the OSP’s Facebook page on July 31, the television host was granted bail after interrogation “However, Mr Adom-Otchere has so far been unable to meet his bail conditions.”
The OSP further stated that, “He is required to present two landed properties (of no specific value) registered in his name. However, he has informed the OSP that he does not own landed property in Ghana. As a result, he remains in custody until the bail terms are satisfied.”
This was after the Office extended an invitation to the host of Good Evening Ghana on Metro television, to appear before it to answer questions concerning a revenue assurance contract sighed under his watch three days before the December election.
Interestingly, before his visit to the OSP and his subsequent detention, Adom-Otchere had written to the institution his inability to appear before it on the specified date.
Through his lawyers, Akufo-Addo, Prempeh & Co, the broadcaster informed the Office through a letter dated Wednesday July 30 his wish to have the meeting rescheduled to Monday August 4.
He suggested that, if it was also possible the interrogation be done virtually, instead of showing up at the 6 Haile Selassie Avenue South Ridge, Accra.
Addressed to the director of Asset Recovery and Management Division, the letter read “We have been notified by our client and received a letter with reference forementioned, the effect, of which invites our client to your office in respect of investigations into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences concerning the Revenue Assurance Audit Services between Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and Evatex Logistics Limited.
“We write to inform you that, we shall be unable to attend your office on the requested date of Thursday, 31st July 2025 at 3 in the afternoon and hence shall be unable to provide our client with the legal representation so required by law.
We consequently request that the meeting be rather fixed on the Monday, 4th August, 2025 at 3 in the afternoon”.
But the OSP reverted to the law firm insisting it was unable to grant that request, indicating that, as a suspect, Adom-Otchere has no right under the law to suggest to the Office how and when it conducts it work with respect to him.
The letter from the OSP instructed that it wanted the broadcaster to appear in person on the stated date and time and account for his stewardship.
“Please be advised that the Office cannot, unfortunately, accede to the personal demand of your client to be furnished with a specific reason or basis for the invitation — a demand that is not rooted in law. A person invited to attend the Office as a suspect is not entitled to the sort of particulars being demanded. It suffices for the person to be informed that he is being invited as a suspect in respect of a matter under investigation, as has been communicated to Mr. Paul Adom-Otchere.
Where a suspect is invited to legal representation at their choice, it must be understood that the investigation process is not a trial and the Office is not required to disclose the sort of particulars being demanded as a precondition for the suspect’s attendance to answer questions. The suspect attends with his lawyer and answers questions or exercises his right to remain silent”.
Adding “The Office of the Special Prosecutor is also unable to accede to your client’s counter suggestion of a virtual interview. An interview with a suspect must necessarily be conducted in person. We are unable to reschedule the invitation any further.
Your client is accordingly directed to attend the Office at 10:00 hours on Thursday, 31st July, 2025”.
Meanwhile, the media personality before bowing to the OSP’s pressure described his invitation as a clear “witch-hunt” and that the things the OSP is seeking to uncover through him were things that fall within the remit of management of GACL.
The OSP revealed that two other persons were charged together with Mr Adom-Otchere.
“The two other persons are; Otchere Kwame Baffour Awuah- Group Executive, Commercial Services, GACL and Albert Adjetey Adjei-Laryea- Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Devnest Systems.
Adom-Otchere is under investigation in connection with a revenue assurance contract between the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) and a private firm owned by the proprietor of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML).
By Gifty Boateng