The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has revealed details of a major fraud case involving Mr. Percival Kofi Akpaloo of the Liberal Party of Ghana, linked to misrepresentation and forgery in a contract awarded by COCOBOD.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, Dr. Ayine explained that the Financial Intelligence Center (FIC) had flagged suspicious transactions on an account belonging to Poma Universal Ghana Limited, a legitimate company owned by Ekua Poma. The matter was referred to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for investigation.
Investigations established that Poma Universal Ghana Limited had been awarded a contract worth GH₵29.5 million in December 2020. While the project commenced with initial payments properly deposited, subsequent transactions raised concerns. Dr. Ayine disclosed that Akpaloo secretly incorporated a separate company with a nearly identical name — adding an “H” to “Poma” — and diverted payments intended for the authentic contractor.
Between December 2022 and June 2024, Akpaloo allegedly collected eight COCOBOD-issued checks totaling GH₵3,169,432.22, depositing them into the account of his own company. Investigators confirmed that Ekua Poma was unaware of the fraudulent entity or the diversion of funds until COCOBOD contacted her in June 2024 about outstanding balances. She further alleged that Apalu forged her signature, using her former name, Mercy Owusu, to secure the contract without her consent.
An internal probe by First Bank Ghana Limited corroborated the fraud allegations, acknowledging operational lapses in detecting discrepancies between payee names and account details.
The suspects under investigation include Percival Kofi Akpaloo, his company Poma Ghana Limited (with the added “H”), and his wife Delvin Akpaloo. Dr. Ayine noted that evidence points to offenses including stealing, forgery, and money laundering, adding that formal charges will be filed after the Christmas break.
“This case underscores the growing trend of individuals, even spouses, colluding to defraud the state,” Dr. Ayine remarked, pledging firm action to safeguard public resources.
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