Dr Nana Owusu, a former board member of National Communications Authority (NCA), who is charged with stealing regarding the purchase of a $4 million equipment for the National Security yesterday, said the $300,000 he deposited in his Stanbic Bank account in 2016, was part of his savings.
The state had accused the medical practitioner of receiving $300,000 as his share of the $3 million shared between him and three others.
He was answering questions under cross-examination conducted by Mrs Yvonne Atakora Obuobisa, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Dr Owusu, a former member of the finance committee at NCA, told the court presided by Justice Eric Kyei Baffour that he was changing money into dollars when he was at the medical school.
The accused had denied the charge of stealing against him, stating that he had worked both in Ghana and the United Kingdom (UK) to raise enough money for a specialised hospital he intended to build.
Dr Owusu, who was charged together with Mr William Tetteh Tevie, a former Director General of NCA; Mr Eugene Baffoe- Bonnie, a former board member of the NCA; Alhaji Osman, a former National Security Coordinator and George Derek Oppong, a private businessman, had all denied charges levelled against them by the state and are currently on $1 million bail.
Dr Owusu denied claims by prosecution that he received $500,000 to be shared between him and three of the accused, neither did he had discussions nor meetings with any of the accused concerning the purchase of the pegasus machine.
The accused stated that Inspector Michael Nkrumah, the policeman, who
investigated him, had told the court that he (Dr Owusu) was never involved in
any discussion regarding the purchase of the pegasus machine.
The prosecution had stated that Mr Tevie and four others were allegedly involved in the embezzlement of $4 million of state funds in the purchase of listening devices for the National Security, which was sponsored by the NCA.
The facts according to the prosecution are that the previous administration contracted an Israeli company, NSO Group Technology Limited, to supply a listening equipment at a cost of $6 million to enable the authorities to monitor conversations of persons suspected to be engaged in cyber crime and terror activities.
A local agent, Infraloks Development Limited, charged $2 million to facilitate the transaction, bringing the total sum to $8 million.
The facts said National Security did not have the money to fund the transaction, and for that reason the NCA, which had supervisory jurisdiction over the use of such equipment, was asked to fund the project.
It added that $4 million was withdrawn from the account of the NCA, while $1 million out of the withdrawn amount was deposited into the account of the Israeli company.
According to the prosecution, the remaining $3 million was lodged in the account of Oppong, who acted as a representative of the local agents, Infraloks Development Ltd.
The prosecution alleged that Osman fronted for the entire deal, and accused were believed to have later laundered the amount for their private benefit.
BY MALIK SULLEMANA
