Former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), William Tevie, has denied involvement in a corruption scandal that has hit his tenure of office.
Mr Tevie, whose name has been in the news together with others for allegedly unlawfully withdrawing state funds from the coffers of the NCA, has denied ever admitting to allegations of corruption to the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) as revealed by the government and reported by the Daily Guide newspaper and other media houses.
The Daily Guide newspaper has been serializing the story over the past few days and public discussions on the issue have been that of anger against the perpetrators.
However, in a rejoinder to the Editor of the Daily Guide newspaper dated May 26, 2017, Mr Tevie, the immediate past Director of the NCA, described the reportage on the issue as mischievous.
He is, therefore, demanding an “unqualified” apology from the managers of the newspaper.
He has threatened to “take appropriate action” should the paper fail to do so immediately.
The Information Minister, Mustafa Hamid, revealed in an interview with Joy FM that some officials of NCA allegedly withdrew $4 million from the accounts of the Authority and have failed to account for it.
The Minister mentioned the names of Eugene Baffoe-Bonnie, former Board Chairman, one Alhaji Osman, former Deputy National Security Coordinator, Mr Tevie among others as officials involved in the scandal.
The Minister said an investigation by the current government reveals that the named officials had contracted an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, to supply listening equipment at the cost of $6 million, to enable National Security monitor conversations of persons suspected to be engaged in terror activities.
The Minister further revealed that a local agent, Infraloks Development Limited, was also charging $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million.
But only $1 million was paid into the accounts of the Israeli company while the remaining $3 million was lodged into the accounts of one George Oppong, representing the local agents, Infraloks Development Limited.
That money was allegedly shared among the officials.
Read below Mr Tevie’s rejoinder denying involving in the scandal
THE EDITOR
DAILY GUIDE NEWSPAPER
ACCRA- GHANA
Rejoinder: NCA Boss To Refund $1.5m Cash
The banner headline of your May 16, 2017 publication, ‘NCA boss to refund $1.5m cash’ is not only false but diabolically concocted to mislead the reading public and tarnish my reputation.
I have never, at any time, whether privately, before the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) or any state investigating agency, admitted that I, William Tevie, Former Director-General of the National Communications Authority (NCA), accepted any money or monies, and which I have agreed to refund.
I was invited by the BNI and questioned about an allegation that some former Board Members of the NCA and I were given an amount of money to share. I categorically denied the allegation.
If the alleged monies were given or received by anybody or group of persons, I am not aware and I was definitely not a party to it.
I hesitate to irresponsibly go into specifics because the transaction in question was handled by the National Security Council Secretariat because of its very sensitive nature.
Your reportage on the issue was not only mischievous but also smacked of ill motive. I am therefore demanding an immediate retraction and an unqualified apology to me failing which I will advise myself accordingly.
William Tevie
Former Director General
National Communications Authority
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