<<Print>>

The former District Finance Officer of Sefwi Akontombra District Assembly, Mr Isaac Akowuah and the Current District Finance Officer, Mr James Esilfie were arrested today by Police Officers of the Parliamentary Police Protection Unit upon the order of the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament, James Avedzi.

Mr Isaac Akowuah and Mr James Esilfie were arrested for presenting to the PAC 9 payment vouchers which did not tally with the payment vouchers before the PAC.

It would be recalled that the Sefwi Akontombra District appeared before the Committee last week to respond to queries contained in the 2015 and 2016 reports of the Auditor-General on the utilisation of the District Assemblies Common Fund.

However, officials of the Assembly could not produce 62 payment vouchers amounting to one hundred and twenty six thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc 126,000.00 ).

The Assembly was therefore asked to reappear before the Committee today and produce the 62 payment vouchers.

When the DCE of Sefwi Akontombra, Hon Amoah Yawson led officials of the Assembly to the PAC hearing today, Mr Isaac Akowuah and Mr James Esilfie produced nine payment vouchers amounting to one hundred and twenty thousand Ghana cedis (Ghc 120,000. 00 ) to the committee out of the 62 payment vouchers the Committee was expecting. 

When the Committee scrutinized the nine payment vouchers, it realized that the payment vouchers did not tally with the documents before the Committee hence the directive by James Avedzi for the arrest of the two officials.

The PAC law has the powers of High court and can therefore cause the arrest of Public Officials who lie before the Committee or flout its directives.