Interpol Dubai refuses to extradite Menzgold's boss

General News on Thursday, June 13, 2019

Source: theheraldghana.com

2019-06-13

Authorities in the UAE wrote to their counterparts in Ghana to explain why they could not extradite a businessman and CEO of the gold distribution company Menzgold Ghana Limited, Nana Appiah Mensah, in their cells.

The popular businessman is in the custody of the UAE authorities, even after his acquittal and acquittal of his case a few months ago, because of a red alert from Interpol secured by Ghana.

But in a shocking twist to the Red Alert group last week, the government, represented by Deputy Justice Minister and Attorney General Joseph Dinkiok Kpemka, distanced himself from the Red Alert that delayed the release. of NAM1 cells in Dubai and returns to Ghana to settle debts to its customers.

Kpemka told reporters that the questions should be asked at the doors of the Police Criminal Investigation Department (CID), led by Maame Yaa Tiwa Addo Dankwah, since the government never issued the alert.

The memo with the UAE Ministry of the Interior's letterhead to the Interpol Office in Ghana dated May 5, 2019, states that the authorities had to deny Ghana's request to extradite Nana Appiah Mensah to reasons beyond their control.

According to the brief communication, the release of Nana Appiah Mensah, known as NAM1, should be delayed a little longer, due to the lawsuit brought against him by Dubai-based commercial firm Horizon Royal Diamond.

The Interpol Dubai, based in Abu Dhabi, said it would force Ghana's application immediately, if the case involving NAM1 and Horizon Royal Diamond, which was the subject of 39, an appeal filed by the firm, had resulted.

Menzgold's boss had won the initial lawsuit against the company.

Mr Mensah has been in custody in Dubai since December 7, 2018, amidst a controversy over the stagnant funds of his company's clients.

He went there, looking for 750 kg of gold worth 39 million US dollars after Horizon Royal Diamond refused to pay him, alleging that one of his friends had cheated him for $ 55 million; they thus confiscated his gold of 750 kg. to cover their losses.

According to a Dubai court, the gold was fraudulently obtained by Horizon Royal Diamond. The company sent false payment confirmations to Menzgold, which resulted in the non-payment of $ 39 million.

After three months in detention, Mr. Mensah was released for the first time on bail of US $ 544,500, but was subsequently arrested again by Interpol.

In the meantime, Menzglod's lawyers, Nana Appiah Mensah, wrote to the government, asking him to revoke the Interpol Red Alert order, which resulted in his continued detention in the UAE.

"Mr. Mensah, a proud Ghanaian, whose priority remains to honor Menzgold Ghana's payment obligations to all his clients, kindly requests that the Government of Ghana revoke the Interpol Red Notice with immediate effect ".

Mr. Mensah's lawyers also asked the government to provide consular support to their client in order to "facilitate the collection of the $ 39 million granted to Mr. Mensah by the Dubai courts" following a legal dispute with Horizon Royal Diamond.

The letter of 3 June was copied by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Gloria Akuffo and her two deputies, Godfred Dame and Joseph Kpemka, Director of the CID, Ms. Addo-Dankwah, Chief of the Ghana Police Service at the Ministry of Justice. 39, central administration, ACP Adjei, economic and organized. Office of Crime (EOCO), director of the COP, Frank Adu-Poku (rtd).

The others are the Minister of National Security, Albert Kan Dapaah, the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Reverend Daniel OgbarmeyTetteh, the Minister of Finance, Ken Ofori-Atta, the Inspector General Police (IGP) David Asante Apeatu and the Consulate General of the Republic of Ghana – Dubai, Ambbadador Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan.

The lawyers argued that Mr. Mensah's continued detention "seriously hinders his efforts to recover Horizon Royal Diamond's money".

In addition to the attempted recovery, Mr. Mensah's lawyers have stated that their client is still in custody "despite his acquittal, Mr. Mensah, in violation of his international legal and human rights … This detention is based solely on a red notice issued by Interpol at the specific and documented request of the Government of Ghana. "

The lawyers noted that the red notice was only intended to locate a person of interest.

"Since the red notice was requested by the Government of Ghana while she was in contact with Mr. Mensah and fully aware of where it is located, all the legal grounds alleged for Support of the publication of the red notice are obviously debatable. "

After a meeting with the prosecutor in charge of the Interpol case, it was made clear that he "could not be released unless the Ghana government allows Interpol to revoke the red notice".

The Menzgold Ghana Injured Client Coalition (CACMG) has expressed its deep concern over the recent comments of the Deputy Attorney General.

The aggrieved customers stated that the comments of the head of the CID, the press conference of Menzgold and the last comments of Mr. Kpemka, according to which the government had not issued the red alert, were a source of Concern for the customers. They said that back and forth, that the whole question appears as if there was a deliberate lack of interest, lies and games played on the customers in the Menzgold saga.

"The latest interviews with the Deputy Attorney General suggest that what the CID leader said at his press conference on April 2, 2018, that NAM1 badociates told the management of clients that Mr. Mensah was in detention and the press release of June 3, MG is incorrect, and their presentations are therefore contradictory.

The net effect of this development is that the government does not seem to be interested in the well-being of its citizens who have invested their resources in a legitimate enterprise and approved by the relevant government agencies, such as the Registry Department, the Minerals Commission, the Ghana Revenue Authority. "

The client statement dated June 11, 2019 signed by their executives, including Fredrick Forson, continued as follows: "Since the alleged acquittal and the return of NAM1 to Dubai in a case widely used as an excuse to delay the handling of the case Menzgold, troubled customers have not seen the government take any serious steps regarding the concrete steps taken to ensure that customers are paid. "

They added that Menzgold's public relations (PR) press release was "superficial, because its content leaves a lot of doubts in our minds and does not solve the real problems." CACM members said they were "dismayed" by the government's deafening silence and neglect of the many client deaths, suffering, excruciating pain and abject poverty that clients face.

Clients asked about seven questions, some of which were: what is the government's position on this red notice and the continuation of NAM1's stay in Dubai, the government should outline its position on the Menzgold problem with regard to payment clients, the Attorney General should disclose to the Client Management the badets and bank accounts of NAM1 and MG.

They continued: What actions were taken against other directors and members of Menzgold management, what is the government's position on the private jet and how did it leave the shores of Ghana, the government should disclose to the CACM the 23-page Menzgold lawyers' document and that a committee comprising the leaders of CAMG, Parliament, the Government and Menzgold be set up for prompt resolution and payment of our blocked funds.