Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiama, has expressed his preparedness to appear before the police, to assist in investigations into the collapse of some banks in the country.

The police say although they invited Dr. Asiama, together with the Founder of the now-defunct UniBank, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor Senior as well as his son, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor Junior who later became CEO of the same bank some three weeks back, it is only Dr. Duffuor Jnr who has so far been cooperating with the Special Investigations Team (SIT).

The SIT has been looking into the possible roles the above-named individuals might have played that led to the folding of the banks.

On Saturday, lawyers for Dr. Asiama wrote to the host of Newsfile on JoyNews and Joy FM, Samson Lardy Anyenini that, their client is not avoiding the police, neither is he on the run as had been reported by some media outlets.

According to their submission, the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank is willing to aid the police in its investigations.

However, he would have preferred the meeting date, which was originally set for January 13, 2020, to be rescheduled since Dr. Asiama was out of town, Rockson Nelson Dafeamekpor indicated in a text message read by the host.  

“….Dr Johnson Asiama on Friday 10th January 2020 received a text message from one DSP Appeatu of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to report on 13th January 2020.  Dr Asiama instructed his lawyers to write to SIT to reschedule the invitation to the week commencing 20th January 2020 as he was not immediately available! SIT received and acknowledged the said letter.

“All attempts by the lawyers for Dr Asiama to reschedule the said invitation proved futile. Dr Asiama is ready and willing to avail himself whenever SIT reschedules the said appointment.”

Dr. Kwabena Duffuor II

Similarly, lawyers for Dr. Duffuor Junior, also wrote to the host of the programme, insisting that their client had been cooperating with the police way back from 2018, therefore discounting the suggestion that he is on the run.

“…Dr Kwabena Duffour Jnr has always cooperated with the Special Investigation Team led by COP Edward Tabiri. From 2018 till date.

“It is on this basis that we had his instructions to file the human rights application which has been served on the Attorney General, IGP and COP Edward Tabiri. It is therefore misleading the media report that Dr Duffour Jnr is on the run…”

Kwabena Duffuor Snr

Meanwhile, the Founder of the UniBank, Dr Kwabena Duffour Snr, has asked for an interlocutory injunction from the court to prevent the Ghana Police Service from what he describes as “unlawful threats and harassment.”

Acting through his legal counsel, Simon Animley, Dr. Duffuor said he ceased to be the director of UniBank way back in 2009 when he became Finance Minister.

He is, therefore, seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his servant, agents, privies and assigns whatsoever from interfering with his fundamental human rights.