The tribunal, presided over by Employment Judge Glennie, dismissed the two complaints of automatic unfair dismissal and failure to pay holiday pay on withdrawal against the bank.

Among the reasons cited by the tribunal was the fact that one of evidence given by the complainant, which was the transaction involving the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu, could not be further interrogated as he is not a party to the case, and the tribunal has not heard any evidence from him.

“The Tribunal observes that there is at the centre of this case a transaction involving an account holder with the Respondent, namely the King of the Ashanti people, his Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to whom we will refer as “the King”. The King is not a party to this case and the Tribunal has not heard any evidence from him. The Tribunal has not been called upon to reach any judgment about the significance of any actions on the King’s part and we have not done so,” the judgement read.

The case generated a lot of buzz in Ghana after the name of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II popped up during the trial.

Click here to read the full judgment of the tribunal.

Background

The Asantehene’s name popped up in the UK media, in a suspected money laundering case, after he sent a bank official to deposit a cash amount of £350,000 on his behalf.

According to the UK’s Telegraph, when Osei Tutu II, summoned Mark Arthur to his multi-million-pound residence in Henley-on-Thames and handed him a bag containing almost £200,000 in sterling as well as $200,000 in US currency with consecutive serial numbers, the bank official felt it inappropriate to ask too many questions.

However, the subsequent deposit of the cash at the Ghana International Bank, triggered a money laundering alert in the City of London and cost Mr. Arthur his job.

Asantehene money laundering claims baseless – Ghana Intl. Bank

The Ghana International Bank has since clarified that there is no suggestion of money laundering allegations against the Asantehene.

A statement from the UK-based bank, asserted that, the ongoing litigation between the bank and a former Executive Director, Mark Arthur, concerned breaches of the Bank’s internal policies and UK laws.

These breaches were said to have happened when Mr. Arthur carried out a transaction on behalf of the Asantehene, reportedly involving £350,000.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Breached regulations within the  Ghana International Bank were noted when a transaction was carried out in August 2016, on behalf of the Asantehene, reportedly involving £350,000.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hYf2u0H8Ww0ZPme7x3XOfIxb0R4cBMo3″]The bank official involved, Mark Arthur, was subsequently suspended and later sacked for not following anti-money laundering rules.

Before a tribunal, where he is alleging wrongful dismissal, among others, Mark Arthur alleged that Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the holder of a diplomatic passport, told him the cash had been withdrawn from banks in Ghana and brought to the UK.

Despite the amount in question, Mr. Otuo Acheampong noted on Eyewitness News that there was no need for regulatory authorities like the Financial Intelligence Centre to pursue the matter because of the allegations.

As an example, Financial institutions are to report all cash transactions within Ghana with a threshold of GH¢20,000, or amounts as may be determined by the BOG from time to time, to the Financial Intelligence Centre.

The Financial Intelligence Centre is mandated by law to request, receive, analyse, interpret and disseminate financial intelligence in Ghana and abroad.

Preferential treatment

But Mr. Otuo Acheampong said customers could be “treated differently, therefore, whilst it [an amount] may be too much for me, because of my record, it may be okay for you because of your record.”

He couldn’t speak to whether there was permission sought or whether it was given for the alleged transactions by the Asantehene, but he said, “as far as the Ghanaian authorities are concerned, nothing sinister has been brought against the king. As far as the British authorities are concerned, nothing has been brought against him.”

“At the core is the breach of internal procedures at the Ghana International Bank,” Mr. Otuo Acheampong added, thus, the Financial Intelligence Centre did “not necessarily” have to look into the matter.

He also reminded that “we don’t know whether even that money was sourced in the UK or was sourced in Ghana. What you are alluding to is what the claimant [Mark Athur] proffered.”

The Ghana International Bank has since said there has been no suggestion of money laundering allegations in its litigation with its former employee, Mark. Arthur.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Probing Otumfuo’s £350,000 transaction needless – Otuo Acheampong appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

There is not even any suggestion of money laundering allegations against the Asantehene, the Ghana International Bank said.

[contextly_sidebar id=”1ZVNZ6G2eWlg6djy68YjtnTFMA54iT5i”]A statement from the UK-based bank asserted that, the ongoing litigation between the bank and a former Executive Director, Mark Arthur, concerned breaches of the Bank’s internal policies and UK laws.

These breaches were said to have happened when Mr. Arthur carried out a transaction on behalf of the Asantehene, reportedly involving £350,000.

This transaction at Ghana International Bank triggered a money laundering alert and cost Mr. Arthur his job.

After first being suspended and then sacked following an investigation, Mr. Arthur is claiming wrongful dismissal, unfair dismissal and failure to protect a whistle-blower.

“The Tribunal’s proceedings and its findings will be about whether the Bank was entitled to dismiss Mark Arthur as it did, and not about the King, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II. There has never been any suggestion by the Bank that the King was or is involved in money laundering. In fact, we have no evidence to that effect. The bank has also not in any of its submissions questioned the integrity of the King,” the statement said.

The bank had even attempted to put in place an anonymity order in September 2017, to keep the Asantehene’s name away from proceedings.

“With a focus on the substance of the matter, and for customer confidentiality purposes, the bank had applied for an anonymity order in September of this year [2017], ahead of the Tribunal Proceedings in October. This would have eliminated the mention of the name of the king in the proceedings of the tribunal.  Additionally, the Bank never mentioned the King nor identified him in any of the documents submitted to the Tribunal in its defense.”

Find below the full statement

Mark Arthur V. Ghana International Bank Public Liability Company

Ghana International Bank Plc’s attention has been drawn to certain misrepresentations in the matter above and wishes to clarify its position as follows:

• Ghana International Bank Plc.  operates in the United Kingdom and is subject to the regulations of the Prudential Regulatory Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority and the UK as a whole.
• These regulations guide the bank’s internal procedures, policies as well as the conduct of all of its employees.
• The Bank takes its legal and regulatory obligations very seriously as well as its duties and obligations to its customers. In this regard, staff are required under the bank’s whistle blowing policy and UK laws to report all suspicious transactions to the appropriate authorities. The consequences of the Bank not fulfilling its obligations can be far reaching at times. In some instances, staff seen to be liable could face a possible jail term and in extreme cases the Bank itself could face a withdrawal of its operating licence.
• The ongoing case which has caught public attention is about Mark Arthur’s breaches of the Bank’s internal policies and procedures as well as UK laws.
• The Tribunal’s proceedings and its findings will be about whether the Bank was entitled to dismiss Mark Arthur as it did and not about the King, Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II.
• There has never been any suggestion by the Bank that the King was or is involved in money laundering. In fact, we have no evidence to that effect. The bank has also not in any of its submissions questioned the integrity of the King.
• With a focus on the substance of the matter and for customer confidentiality purposes, the bank had applied for an anonymity order in September of this year ahead of the Tribunal Proceedings in October. This would have eliminated the mention of name of the king in the proceedings of the tribunal.  Additionally, the Bank never mentioned the King nor identified him in any of the documents submitted to the Tribunal in its defence.
• Mark Arthur had however contested this and had won thus exposing the identity of the king and his name in the proceedings.
• The Bank has maintained a long standing relationship with the King and has worked closely with him on initiatives such as the Otumfuo Education Fund, in providing IT education to children in deprived communities.  This is a project that the Bank is keen to continue supporting.
• “The bank also wishes to clarify that contrary to earlier media reportage, Mark Arthur had neither sought nor received authorization from the Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, Joe Mensah.”

THANK YOU

SIGNED

MYDDLETON COMMUNICATIONS LIMITED

(ON BEHALF OF MANAGEMENT OF GHANA INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC)

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Asantehene money laundering claims baseless – Ghana Intl. Bank appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The EC  is arguing that there is no time for an audit of the voter’s register, but the political parties say it is important the Electoral Commission conducts the audit to  authenticate the voter’s register.

Citi News’ reporter, Sammi Wiafe who was at the EC’s head office where the emergency Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting is under way said, “whiles the political parties are of the view that it is important the EC conduct the audit, the EC is arguing that there is no time on its side to do this auditing.’’

He stated that, “they are still debating on this particular issue; there is no conclusion on the auditing aspect of the voter’s register.’’

Sammi also reported that the meeting will also discuss the modalities to be used for the next voter’s registration.

He said the EC is considering July 2014 for the next voter’s registration exercise ahead of the 2016 elections.

The E.C will also discuss some reforms for the 2016 elections.

By: Evans Effah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The meeting is aimed at reaching a consensus with the parties before the exercise begins.

The General Secretaries of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Conventions People’s Party (CPP) and the People’s National Convention (PNC) have requested an emergency meeting with the EC to outline modalities for the upcoming exercise.

The Director of Public Affairs at the EC, Christian Owusu Parry in an interview with Citi News disclosed that the Commission had already planned to organize an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting and the date will be communicated in due course.

Regarding the procedures for registration, Mr. Owusu Parry indicated that nothing has changed.

He added that the parties will be made to present their agents at the various registration centers “so that they can observe the procedure.”

The opening of the voters register is to allow Ghanaians who turned 18 since the 2012 general elections and adults who could not register in previous registration exercises to register.

By: Efua Idan Osam/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @osamidan

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