As of July 31, 2025, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has officially detained Paul Adom-Otchere, the former Board Chairman of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL).
The OSP officially named Adom-Otchere as a suspect in a letter dated July 25, 2025, in connection with an ongoing investigation into alleged procurement law violations related to a revenue assurance audit contract between GACL and a private company (allegedly associated with Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited, SML).
Adom-Otchere was charged and given a formal interview when he appeared before the OSP on July 31, 2025, but he is still being held since he did not meet the standards for bail.
Two landed properties in Ghana that were registered in his name as sureties were part of his bail requirements.
He has claimed that he is unable to meet the requirements of bail because he does not own any properties in the area. He is therefore held in custody until these requirements are met.
Meanwhile, he has been charged with the crimes of two other people. Among them are:
- Otchere Kwame Baffour Awuah, Group Executive of Commercial Services at GACL.
- Albert Adjetey Adjei‑Laryea, CEO of Devnest Systems – the firm tied to the contract under investigation.
Paul Adom-Otchere vehemently disputes any wrongdoing, calling the OSP’s treatment of him “witch-hunting.” He contends that the issue is outside of his own purview as board chair because it pertains to operational choices at the management level rather than the board’s mandate.
The National Security Incident That Nearly Took Down Paul Adom-Otchere
The deal in question is allegedly a sole-sourced contract that was given out without board permission and may have violated regulations governing competitive procurement.
The public’s broader worries about value for money and procurement transparency in state-owned firms are reflected in the recent investigations of several other high-ranking officials over similar non-competitive contract awards, particularly those pertaining to SML and revenue assurance transactions.
