Lawyer, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has urged the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate Rev. Kusi Boateng on the grounds of money laundering.

His call followed the report issued by the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on the National Cathedral scandal, which involved the board of trustees of the project.

The general secretary of the board, Rev. Kusi Boateng, was central to the scandal. It emerged that Rev. Kusi made a payment of GH¢2.6 million to JNS Talent Centre, a company where he also serves as a director.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, raised concerns over the transactions and other irregularities in the construction of the edifice, petitioning CHRAJ to investigate the matter.

However, CHRAJ’s investigation found that JNS Talent Centre provided no services for the payment but deemed it a reimbursement to Rev. Kusi Boateng for advancing funds to contractors during the Secretariat’s financial difficulties. The Commission also concluded that there was no wrongdoing or conflict of interest as alleged by the MP.

This finding by CHRAJ has sparked public discussion, with questions raised about accountability.

For Mr Vormawor, the transaction to Rev. Kusi’s JNS Talent Centre was done in an unclear manner and raises the issue of money laundering.

“There is a real question for the Ghana Revenue Authority as to investigate this JNS Talent Centre because the way in which the money entered the account... you will see on page 146 of the report that it was the Government of Ghana that paid GH¢3.5 million to this company on 23rd August 2022, and immediately, by 26th August, you have a request from the Cathedral to get its part from it... even though the Cathedral was in a position to pay back the money within eleven days, it took money from JNS Talent and paid it back again... if this is analysed financially, it speaks more to money laundering; it gives the impression of money laundering,” he said.

He further argued that, “Secondly, if you look at the finances of the Cathedral, when it states its sources of revenue, it does not list the money (GH¢2.6 million) as a loan from JNS. It only records the GH¢2.6 million as its expenditure, paid to JNS Talent Centre. We only find out it was a loan when accounting professionals will tell you that it should reflect in both the credit and the debit. We only hear that it was a loan when the problem arises, and then letters are produced claiming it is a loan.”

The activist also called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor to investigate the matter, saying, “There is a lot that I think is still left on the table, and perhaps this is where the Special Prosecutor should come in.”

Following CHRAJ’s report, the petitioner, Mr Ablakwa, expressed his surprise at the outcome and criticised the Commission for its poor work.

While the Commission cleared JNS Talent Centre, it recommended that the members of the board face possible prosecution and also suggested that the Auditor-General conduct a forensic audit of the entire project since its inception.