Court dismisses motion against Prampram Chief

Tema (Greater Accra), 2^nd July 99 --

A Tema High Court on Wednesday dismissed a motion seeking to compel Nene Tetteh Djan III, Paramount Chief of Prampram Traditional area to submit all accounting books in his possession for auditing.

Mr Justice A. A. Acquaye, the presiding judge, ruled that the application of the Mankralo was "incompetent since there is no proof of any authority given to him by the executives of the traditional council to pursue the matter".

He said the Mankralo claimed in the affidavit that he had the full and unqualified mandate of the Traditional Council to file the motion and should have filed a power of attorney to prove that.

The Traditional Council early this month filed a motion at the court asking the Paramount chief to release the Council's accounting books in his possession for auditing by Albert Ocansey and Company Limited, a private accounting firm.

The motion followed an initial audit, which revealed that 160.4 million cedis taken from the Council's treasury by the chief could not be accounted for.

The books which cover a special account referred to as "Account P Five" and said to be in the possession of Nene Tetteh Djan include pay vouchers, receipt books, ledgers, waybills, purchase and sales books.

The Council was, therefore, seeking an order to direct the Tema Regional Crime Officer and the Registrar of the Court to take immediate possession of the books to forestall any attempt by the defendant to tamper with them.

The court awarded a cost of 200,000 cedis against the plaintiffs.

GRi…/