The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has formally charged and detained Paul Adom-Otchere, the former Chairman of the Board of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), in connection with ongoing investigations into a controversial revenue assurance contract. His continued custody stems from his inability to meet bail conditions imposed by the OSP.
Adom-Otchere, a prominent broadcaster and public figure, is required to present two landed properties registered in his name as a condition for bail. However, he has disclosed to investigators that he does not own any landed property in Ghana, thereby failing to satisfy the terms for his release.
The OSP has also charged two other individuals in connection with the same case: Otchere Kwame Baffour Awuah, the Group Executive for Commercial Services at GACL, and Albert Adjetey Adjei-Laryea, CEO of Devnest Systems. All three are under scrutiny for their roles in the awarding and execution of a revenue assurance contract between GACL and a private firm linked to the proprietor of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML).
The case underscores the growing assertiveness of Ghana’s anti-corruption agencies, particularly the OSP, in addressing procurement-related misconduct within public institutions. It also raises broader questions about asset declarations and ownership transparency among public officials.
Legal analysts suggest that Adom-Otchere’s inability to meet the bail conditions could prolong his detention, unless the terms are revised or third-party guarantors are accepted. The OSP, meanwhile, is expected to continue its inquiries in the coming days, with additional charges not ruled out.
Story: Lawal Mohammed
