Manasseh Azure Awuni an award-winning investigative journalist has revealed the Office of the Special Prosecutor has raided the offices of Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
According to Manasseh Azure, the was carried out with search warrants and supported by personnel from the National Security Secretariat.
The information gathered suggests the OSP investigation into the SML scandal has reached the advanced stages of its investigation.
Reports suggest the search was carried out simultaneously at the Osu and Tema offices of SML.
It will be recalled the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) accused the former finance minister Ken Ofori Atta of causing financial loss to the state in several dealings including the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA’s) – Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd (SML).
In a related development, the former Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) Isaac Crentsil has been detained by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
According to reports, Isaac Crentsil has been detained concerning the controversial contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
Sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Isaac Crentsil was picked up some weeks for questioning.
SML was formed a month after the NPP administration took office in 2017.
It has since been awarded a number of dubious contracts by the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Ministry of Finance, under Ken Ofori-Atta.
The “SML Scandal”, an exposé by The Fourth Estate, titled, ‘The GH¢ 3 Billion Lie’, fingered the Ministry of Finance for awarding a $100 million contract to SML to monitor Upstream Petroleum Production and to Audit the value chain of Minerals and Metals Resources.
SML has stated that its upstream operations have not commenced and pointed out that the $100 million per year payment allegation is entirely false.
According to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Rev. Dr. Ammishaddai Adu Owusu-Amoah, and his entire nuclear family have run away from Ghana over the $100 million SML corruption scandal.
The former GRA boss allegedly signed the $100 million SML contract, run from Ghana hours before President Akufo-Addo called for an investigation into the SML scandal.
Meanwhile, Manasseh Azure Awuni an award-winning investigative journalist referenced the SML deal as “the biggest scam”, “the SML scandal,” and “shady”.
In reaction to a defamation suit filed against him by Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) over claims made in his book, ‘The President Ghana Never Got’.
According to Manasseh Azure Awuni, he stands by everything he has published on the SML scandal and is ready to defend it in court.
In a post on social media page X, Manasseh Azure wrote, “My lawyers have written to the court and have been served the writ of SML’s GHS21 million defamation suit against me. They will enter appearance today, and the rest of the processes will continue.
I stand by everything I have published on the SML scandal and am ready to defend it in court”, he added.
