National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament for Twifo-Atti Morkwaa in the Central Region, David Vondee, has been fingered in an alleged $2.5 million fraud some three years ago.
The newly-elected MP allegedly used his company, Klenham Construction to carry out his nefarious deed.
A statement by the complainant, Africa Rei (Adentan) Limited, disclosed that despite its directors laying a criminal complaint with the Police CID division against Mr. Vondee years ago, criminal charges are still being finalized by the Attorney General in Accra and therefore he is not facing criminal trial.
The CID, it said, concluded investigations, prepared and sent the docket against Mr. Vondee to the Attorney General more than a year ago but the wheels of justice appeared to have grounded to a screeching halt.
According to Africa Rei Limited, a joint venture between Sir Sam Jonah’s Mobus Property Group and Areil Ghana Limited (Mauritius), it entered into a 99-year Agreement of Lease with Vondee and his wife, both directors of Klenham Construction, with plans to invest US$500m in convenience retail malls across the country.
It alleged, however, that Vondee failed to disclose the transaction he had entered into on the tribal land he was on- was not paid for, and that only a 10% deposit had been paid by his company.
He allegedly also failed to pay the balance to the allodial landowner in Adentan.
The company questioned whether Mr. Vondee funded his political ambitions and election campaign through proceeds of crime, especially when the transaction took place not long after his failed election bid in 2016.
It indicated that in the December 2020 election, Mr. Vondee once again contested and won the Twifo-Atti Morkwa Constituency seat.
“This raises serious questions about how he – as an indicted individual facing serious charges of fraud and in all likelihood, will end up in prison – was allowed to run for office by the NDC,” the statement alleged.
The Company stated that sometime in late 2020, its directors received a call from the CID officer in charge of the investigations, one Mr. Adabla that the Attorney General’s office had returned Vondee’s docket with instructions to add a charge of money laundering to his charges of fraud.
“We also understand that the Attorney General has instructed Mr. Adabla to begin the process of tracing the money he defrauded and identifying assets belonging to Mr. Vondee that can be seized if he is found guilty.”
“Our concern is why it has taken three years to get to this point, and will Mr. Vondee’s new role make it harder for the AG to successfully bring charges against him?”
“Apart from the financial losses to our company and shareholders, the failure of this project due to Vondee’s fraud has cost Ghanaians jobs, livelihoods, and economic opportunity, and ironically he ran for public office promising the same,” the company said.
Africa Rei Limited noted that in addition to the political environment, long-term investors require two things when investing namely property rights and effective law enforcement.
Ghanaian law enforcement authorities, it said, must therefore consider the implications and the message the dragged-out investigation will send to investors around the world who are considering investing in Ghana.
