High Court Denies Former PPA CEO’s Request to Travel with Daughter for Summer Camp

The Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra has denied an application from Adjenim Boateng Adjei, the former Chief Executive Officer of the Public Procurement Authority (PPA), to release his passport so he can take his six-year-old daughter to the United States for a summer camp.

Presiding Judge Justice Marie-Louise Simmons ruled that no exceptional or serious grounds were presented to justify granting the request. Adjenim Boateng Adjei is facing charges from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) on four counts each of “using public office for profit” and “indirectly influencing the procurement process to obtain an unfair advantage in the award of procurement contracts.” He has pleaded not guilty and was granted bail on April 22, 2024, under the condition that he surrender his passport.

Adjei’s lawyers filed the application on July 8, 2024, arguing that it was necessary for him to accompany his daughter, a U.S. citizen, to a two-week summer camp running from July 29, 2024, to August 9, 2024. They contended that the trip was crucial for her to integrate into the U.S. educational and cultural system.

Principal Prosecutor Adelaide Kobiri-Woode opposed the request, arguing that the application did not present exceptional circumstances to justify varying the bail conditions. She noted that the child’s mother or another responsible adult could accompany her instead, and highlighted the risk of Adjei absconding if allowed to travel.

Justice Simmons stated that while the camp might benefit the child’s intellectual and psychological development, the reasons provided were not sufficient to override the serious nature of the charges against Adjei. She emphasized that the application did not pertain to the child’s basic necessities, such as education, shelter, or healthcare, which would warrant urgent attention.

The judge agreed with the prosecution that another responsible adult could take the child to the camp, ensuring that Adjei remains available for trial. She concluded that the public interest and the need to ensure Adjei’s presence in court outweighed the reasons for the travel request.

“No exceptional or serious grounds have been canvassed before me to warrant the grant of this application that seeks to vary the bail conditions granted,” Justice Simmons ruled, dismissing the application.