Solomon Asamoah, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund (GIIF), has fled the country after being implicated in the controversial $2 million payment for the failed Accra Sky Train project.
At a press conference on Monday, Attorney General and Minister for Justice Dr. Dominic Ayine revealed that Mr. Asamoah is currently in Senegal, having initially traveled to South Africa on February 2 before relocating.
“We tracked him first to South Africa, and now he is in Senegal. When we contacted him, he informed us that he would not return to Ghana for at least three months. We are patiently waiting, but if he fails to return, he will be tried in absentia,” Dr. Ayine stated.
Despite Asamoah’s absence, the Attorney General assured that legal proceedings would continue, emphasizing that his office remains committed to prosecuting those responsible.
Dr. Ayine also confirmed that Prof. Ameyaw Ekumfi, the former GIIF Board Chairman who was involved in the payment, remains in Ghana and has already been questioned by the National Investigations Bureau (NIB).
Further investigations have revealed that the $2 million payment was made at the request of Asamoah and Ekumfi, without the necessary board approval.
“There was no board approval for the transaction, and the conditions precedent to disbursement had not been met,” Dr. Ayine disclosed.
A review of board minutes confirmed that most members were unaware of the payment, with one member questioning the urgency behind the disbursement. Despite these concerns, Asamoah and Ekumfi proceeded with transferring the funds to a company in Mauritius, which has since been found to be nonexistent.
“We tracked the company to Mauritius, and a lawyer there confirmed that it does not exist. But this is still a developing case,” Dr. Ayine added.
The revelation has intensified scrutiny over financial mismanagement within GIIF, with authorities vowing to pursue justice and recover the misappropriated funds.