Dram Oil and Trading Limited has petitioned the Attorney General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, to investigate alleged perjury by the Managing Director of Alfapetro Limited, Eric Forson.

The petition details a series of alleged falsehoods and financial misdeeds by the Alfapetro MD.

According to the petition, the conflict stems from a Distribution Agreement signed on September 13, 2012, between Dram Oil and Alfapetro. Under the agreement, Alfapetro was responsible for distributing 7,100 metric tons of petroleum products on behalf of Dram Oil. However, Alfapetro allegedly withheld significant under-recovery funds that were meant to be paid to Dram Oil after the sale.

In August 2018, disagreements over the funds escalated to court, during which Eric Forson swore an affidavit claiming the existence of a Tripartite Agreement among Dram Oil, Alfapetro, and the defunct UT Bank. This agreement supposedly authorized Forson to divert the under-recovery payments to an account he controlled instead of the designated Dram Oil account. Dram Oil argues that this agreement was fabricated and that Forson's statements were intended to deceive the court.

The petition further alleges that Forson submitted a bank statement from his own account, misleadingly presenting it as belonging to Dram Oil. This misrepresentation played a crucial role in the court's decision, leading to a ruling against Dram Oil by Justice Jennifer Abena Dadzie on November 16, 2018.

Despite presenting their findings to the Ghana Police Service in February 2023, Dram Oil says the investigation has stalled. They express concerns over a potential conflict of interest involving the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akufo Dampare, citing a previous intervention by the IGP in a 2016 criminal investigation related to Dram Oil. Dram Oil suggests that this conflict may have influenced the police's inaction and resulted in Forson being shielded from accountability.

The petition asks the Attorney General to investigate the alleged perjury committed by Eric Forson in the court of Justice Jennifer Abena Dadzie. It also urges the AG to examine related crimes, such as the suspected misappropriation of under-recovery funds by Alfapetro and Forson. Dram Oil calls for the prosecution of Forson and any accomplices if the investigations confirm the allegations.

Chief Executive of Dram Oil, Randolf Koranteng, who signed the petition, emphasizes the importance of this case in deterring perjury and upholding the integrity of Ghana's judicial system. He points to a worrying trend of false testimonies in court and urges the Attorney General to act swiftly to restore public confidence in the rule of law.

Dram Oil's allegations against Forson also include claims of financial misconduct. The petition alleges that Alfapetro, under Forson's management, misappropriated substantial under-recovery funds, depriving Dram Oil of its rightful share of revenues from oil sales. These funds, intended to compensate for the gap between government-regulated fuel prices and higher market prices, were allegedly diverted for personal gain.

Koranteng describes a complex scheme in which Forson used falsified documents and deceptive financial practices to obscure the true destination of the under-recovery payments. The petition calls for a thorough forensic audit to uncover the full extent of the financial misappropriation and to identify all individuals involved.

The petition raises concerns about the broader implications of this case, arguing that allowing such alleged crimes to go unpunished sets a dangerous precedent, encouraging similar misconduct across the industry. It appeals to the Attorney General to take a firm stand against corruption and to demonstrate that the rule of law applies to all, regardless of their position or influence.