The Commission On Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has recently cleared Reverend Victor Kusi Boateng of accusations regarding his alleged possession of multiple identities and passports. The investigation was instigated by a petition from Mr. Okudzeto Ablakwa in January 2023, which claimed that Reverend Kusi Boateng, serving as the Secretary of the National Cathedral Board of Trustees, was involved in a conflict of interest and engaged in dubious financial transactions. However, the CHRAJ’s findings determined that Reverend Kusi Boateng holds only one passport under the name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi and has never held a passport under his other name, Kusi-Boateng, countering the claims made by Ablakwa.
In his petition, Ablakwa raised serious allegations including a GH¢2.6 million cash transfer from the National Cathedral Secretariat to JNS Talent Centre Limited, a company owned by Reverend Kusi Boateng. He claimed that this transfer involved no service rendered by the company and suggested a blatant conflict of interest, asserting that the Reverend effectively paid his own company for nonexistent work. However, the CHRAJ concluded that the transferred funds were meant to compensate Rev. Kusi Boateng for paying contractors on behalf of the National Cathedral, which was experiencing financial difficulties at the time.
Ablakwa sought to engage CHRAJ’s authority under Article 218 of the 1992 Constitution, aiming to expose what he described as a “disturbing conflict of interest.” His petition emphasized that Reverend Kusi Boateng’s dual identity provided him with the means to benefit financially from the Sacred National Cathedral project. Ablakwa maintained that the Reverend and the name Kwabena Adu Gyamfi represented the same individual, calling the latter a “criminal creation” of the former. He alleged that this multi-faceted identity was tactical, serving as a cover for dubious activities.
Additionally, Mr. Ablakwa produced documents suggesting that other individuals tied to JNS Talent Centre Limited also had connections to Reverend Kusi Boateng. He pointed out that Sheila Eshun and another Kwabena Adu Gyamfi appeared in the company’s directorship. This led him to argue that there existed a deceptive pattern of identity use, claiming that Reverend Kusi Boateng employed multiple passports and identification cards in furtherance of his objectives.
Despite these serious allegations, CHRAJ’s investigation failed to substantiate Ablakwa’s claims, effectively exonerating Reverend Kusi Boateng. The Commission’s report highlighted that the funds he received were legitimate payments owed to him for facilitating contractor payments, thereby dismissing the notion of an unscrupulous financial scheme. This conclusion can be seen as a significant development in the discourse surrounding the National Cathedral project, an initiative that has been the subject of intense scrutiny and debate in Ghana.
In conclusion, the CHRAJ’s decision has cleared Reverend Victor Kusi Boateng of wrongdoing concerning the allegations made by Mr. Ablakwa. By confirming the singular identity of Kusi Boateng and legitimizing the financial transactions connected to the National Cathedral Board, the Commission has addressed potential misconduct allegations rooted in conflict of interest and provided clarity amidst the swirling accusations surrounding the project and its stakeholders. Consequently, this ruling marks a pivotal moment in the discussions related to financial governance within national projects in Ghana.
