My experience has been painful – Sylvester Mensah

Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Insurance Authority (NHIA), Sylvester Mensah has said the High Court’s ruling ordering a release of his frozen accounts vindicates him.

Mr. Mensah’s accounts were frozen when the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), was investigating him over allegations financial malpractices that allegedly occurred at the NHIA when he was the Chief Executive.

But the FIC after completing its investigations into the allegations, asked the Financial Tax Court on Thursday, to release the accounts because it found no wrongdoing against Mr. Mensah.

Speaking to Citi News minutes after the ruling, Mr. Mensah expressed satisfaction with the outcome saying “I am glad that there were no adverse findings against me.”

He further stated that the court’s decision to freeze his accounts “has been an extremely painful experience but of course a legitimate action.”

Background

Mr. Mensah was arrested and detained at the BNI on New Year’s Day (January 1) 2016, when he reported himself at the security outfit in response to an invitation from the (BNI) Director.

He was subsequently released on bail after some eleven hours in custody. Prior to his January 1 detention, seven fully armed BNI officials allegedly raided his private residence in search of him and created a scene which attracted neighbors and passersby.

He was out of Accra with his family when the armed men put his residence under siege. Although BNI officials have denied the invasion, a CCTV recording of the incident captured all seven gunmen as well as the vehicles with which they went to Mr. Mensah’s house.

The allegations against him were that, in his tenure as CEO of the NHIA, he paid false claims to some service providers in order that he could benefit from them.

By-Citifmonline.com