Thieves break into Attorney-General’s offices; 5 laptops, printer, TV stolen

Some unidentified persons have been staging frequent break-ins at the offices of the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General in Accra, CorruptionWatch has found.

One of the topmost officers affected is the Director of Public Prosecutions, Yvonne Attakorah Obuobisa, whose office was broken into in March this year. In that incident, the burglars took away a laptop computer and a printer.

It is unclear the sort of documents and programmes that were installed on the computer and whether they have any consequences on cases that the Attorney-General’s office is prosecuting or studying.

This was revealed Wednesday, August 29, by Frederick Asiamah, an investigator on Corruption Watch, a segment on the Super Morning Show on Joy FM.

Sources say there have been further break-ins at the offices occupied by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Justice and a state attorney as well as the Drafting Department.

In the break-in of the Chief Director’s office, a television set was stolen. A state attorney also had her office burgled, losing one laptop computer. In the last incident that Corruption Watch investigated, the Drafting Office lost a total of three laptop computers in two incidents.

Together, five laptop computers, one printer and a television set are the items that the burglars have taken away so far in the series of break-ins.

The unknown perpetrators usually do not tamper with the doors and windows during their operations.




Termination of contract

Corruption Watch sources also say that the private security company that was in-charge of the Ministry of Justice at the time, has been disengaged after two of its staff were picked up by the Ghana Police Service in connection with one of the incidents.

The company, Thomas Security Company Limited (T.S.S.L.), which has its headquarters at the Awudome Estates, declined an interview on the matter.

However, George Tuffour, Deputy Managing Director and son to the Managing Director Thomas Tuffour, called Corruption Watch to confirm that their guards were picked up by the police in connection with a theft case.

He said the case didn’t travel beyond the security guards giving their statements to the police. But he confirmed that the company’s contract with the Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General was terminated some months ago as a result of the theft case.

Ministry’s response

Meanwhile, since April 23, 2018, Corruption Watch has sought to speak with officials of the Ministry, including the Minister, Gloria Akuffo, to no avail.

The Minister, through her assistants, informed the team last week that she cannot speak on the matter because of “a tight” calendar.

The incidence of burglary at the A-G’s office has led to concerns about tampering with the integrity of the prosecutorial processes as well as the security and safety of the officers of the A-G’s department.

Source: Myjoyonline.com