NPP behind Asantehene’s money laundering saga

The former Municipal Chief Executive for the Ejisu Juaben Municipality in the Ashanti Region and member of the NDC, Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh has said some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) are behind the money laundering case which involves Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
According to him, members of the NPP plot to disgrace the Asanteman.

Though he did not mention names of members of the ruling government, he said their evil plans will be resisted.

“How can some people be so mean and make such damming allegations against our great King? They should stop this nonsense because I will soon expose them and chase them out of the country. I know where all these lies are coming from and I promise to deal with them drastically.

“They know themselves and want they are planning against the Kingdom even in power. They shouldn’t dare else they will regret. They can’t even compare themselves to the golden stool and then have resorted to tarnishing his image. They will fight in vain,” he said in an interview on Accra-based Okay FM.

Background to money laundering
Ashantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has been fingered in a potential money laundering case in the United Kingdom in which he said to have deposited £350,000 at Ghana International Bank.

The revered Ashanti King is said to have handed the money to Mark Arthur, an executive director of the bank, at his multimillion-pound residence in Henley-on-Thames, for deposit.

According to the British-based Telegraph, the subsequent deposit of the cash at Ghana International Bank triggered a money laundering alert in the City of London and cost Mr Arthur his job.

Afrifa Yamoah Ponkoh
The bank said he had failed to follow anti-money laundering rules and had violated security policies as it was only insured to carry cash by armoured car up to a maximum of £250,000, according to the report by the Telegraph.

Mr Arthur, who is under investigation over the development, said in his testimony that Otumfuo told him the money was withdrawn from banks in Ghana and brought to the UK.

According to him, he was handed a bag containing almost £200,000 in sterling as well as $200,000 in US currency with consecutive serial numbers.

He had also instructed Mr Arthur to move $200,000 to an account at Standard bank in Jersey, the report said.
Mr Arthur, fired over the incident, is claiming wrongful dismissal, unfair dismissal and failure to protect a whistleblower.

He alleged the deposit and transfer were approved by Ghana International Bank’s chief executive, Joseph Mensah