JA Plant Pool Ghana Limited has been implicated in a major over-invoicing scheme after investigators uncovered massive mark-ups on equipment supplied under the District Roads Improvement Programme (DRIP), Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine has disclosed.

Addressing the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, Dr Ayine revealed that the company inflated equipment prices by as much as 300 percent, triggering a full-scale financial and legal review of the $176 million contract.

“We noticed that the equipment were over-invoiced by between 100 and 300 percent. For example, one piece of equipment that cost $40,000 was invoiced at $84,000. That is over 110%,” he stated.

The Attorney General said a dedicated team of investigators is currently conducting a detailed, itemised audit of every piece of equipment supplied across the districts to build a watertight case.
“You can imagine all the equipment for all the districts, and we are going through each of them. And in criminal law, charges must be specific, and if you miss the specificity, your case will be thrown out,” he explained.

The over-invoicing revelations come alongside findings of a $2 million overpayment to the company. According to Dr Ayine, the government has already issued a demand notice for the refund.

“In the case of DRIP, JA Plant was overpaid by $2 million. The contract sum was $176 million. On the face of the contract, that is the sum that was stated. When we examined the invoices of payments, it was $178 million that was paid. So right away, there was a difference of $2 million. So we asked that the $2 million be paid back by JA Plant Pool,” he said.

Investigators also detected tax irregularities linked to the clearance of 190 pieces of equipment, which were allegedly released as though they were exempt.

“When they did the analysis, following the HS code, it came out that GH¢38.7 million of tax was evaded. So in respect of the two sums, we have made a demand on them to pay that money,” Dr Ayine added.

The revelations form part of an ongoing accountability initiative aimed at recovering public funds and ensuring financial discipline in government contracts.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has disclosed that he rejected several plea deal offers made by the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, in relation to his ongoing illegal mining case.

Wontumi, who is the first accused in a case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited, is facing multiple charges, including facilitating unlicensed mining operations and assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Addressing journalists at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, October 22, Dr. Ayine stressed that he has not been influenced or pressured by anyone, including President John Dramani Mahama or the Chief of Staff, to negotiate plea bargains in any criminal case.

“I’m under no pressure from any quarters to cut deals,” Dr. Ayine stated. “Mr. President, who is my boss, has not put any pressure on me. He gives me his blessings when I brief him. The Chief of Staff has not put pressure on me to cut deals with anybody.”

He confirmed that several offers had been made in the Wontumi case but insisted on allowing the judicial process to take its full course.

“Offers have been made, but I have turned all of them down. I have told everybody, please go to court. In the Wontumi case, offers were made to us for a plea bargain, but I said no — I’m filing charges. If you want to announce your intention for a plea deal, do it before the judge. That is now my strategy,” he explained.

Dr. Ayine dismissed claims that he was negotiating plea deals with NPP officials, describing such reports as politically motivated.

“The NPP took advantage and said I was cutting deals. No deals have been cut and no deal will be cut,” he maintained.

Chairman Wontumi has been granted bail in two separate rulings by different High Courts in Accra.

In the first ruling, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay granted him bail in the sum of GH¢15 million with three sureties, two of whom must justify with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

In the second case, Justice Ruby Aryeetey granted Wontumi and Edward Akuoko, the Operations Manager of Akonta Mining, GH¢10 million bail each with two sureties, one of whom must justify with property.

Wontumi has since met the bail conditions and been released from custody as proceedings continue in both cases involving Akonta Mining Company Limited.

The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has announced that the former Chief Executive Officer of the National Food and Buffer Stock Company, Abdul-Wahab Hanan, and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni, will be charged with multiple offences, including stealing and money laundering.

Addressing journalists at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, October 22, Dr. Ayine revealed that the formal charges will be filed on Friday, October 24, 2025.

“On account of the foregoing, we have decided to charge Mr. Hanan Abdul-Wahab and his wife, Faiza Seidu Wuni with stealing, conspiracy to steal, wilfully causing financial loss to the state, using public office for profit, obtaining public property by false statements and money laundering. The charges will be filed on Friday, October 24, 2025,” he announced.

The Attorney General said investigations by his office have uncovered a complex money laundering scheme involving suspicious transactions amounting to over GHS 40.5 million channelled through Sawtina Enterprise, a company linked to the former CEO.

Dr. Ayine indicated that the funds were transferred to several individuals and entities in a pattern suggesting deliberate efforts to conceal the source of the money.

The Attorney General reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fighting corruption and ensuring accountability in public service, stressing that his office would continue to pursue cases backed by solid evidence.

The breakdown of the transfers is as follows:

* GHS 16,179,137.25 from Sawtina Enterprise to Hanan Abdul-Wahab
* GHS 23,913,964.90 from Sawtina Enterprise to Alqarni Enterprise
* GHS 500,000.00 from Sawtina Enterprise to Fa-Hausa Ventures
* GHS 550,000.00 from Sawtina Enterprise to Chain Homes Ghana Ltd