The Attorney-General, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced that the state is in the process of filing criminal charges against Percival Kofi Akpaloo of the Liberal Party of Ghana (LPG) in connection with an alleged GH¢3.17 million cheque diversion and forgery scheme linked to a Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) contract.
The disclosure was made during the Government Accountability Series with the media, where Dr. Ayine presented findings from investigations initiated following a Suspicious Transaction Report (STR) submitted by the Financial Intelligence Centre (FIC).
According to the Attorney-General, Poma Universal Ghana Limited – a fully owned entity of Ekua Poma – was duly awarded a Federal Growth Contract by COCOBOD in December 2020, with a total value of GH¢29.5 million. While the project commenced as scheduled and initial payments were processed correctly, subsequent financial transactions prompted significant concerns.
Dr. Ayine revealed that Akpaloo is alleged to have covertly registered a second company bearing a deceptively similar name to the legitimate contractor, differing only by the addition of the letter “H” to “Poma.” Between December 2022 and June 2024, it is claimed that Akpaloo collected eight COCOBOD cheques issued in the name of the original Poma Universal Ghana Limited, totaling GH¢3,169,432.22.
The cheques were allegedly deposited into the account of the altered-named company at First Bank Ghana Limited, without the knowledge or consent of Ekua Poma. The diversion was uncovered in June 2024 when COCOBOD contacted the legitimate contractor to inquire about outstanding balances on the contract.
An internal review conducted by First Bank Ghana Limited confirmed the misrepresentation of the payee name, while also acknowledging the bank’s failure to identify discrepancies between the cheque payee details and the account holder information.
Individuals and entities under investigation in the matter include Percival Kofi Akpaloo, the altered-named Poma Ghana Limited, and Delvin Apollo, Akpaloo’s spouse.
Dr. Ayine stated that the suspects are expected to face charges of stealing, forgery, and money laundering, with prosecution set to commence upon the resumption of official duties after the Christmas holidays.
