BNI Security Assistant Dismissed For Presenting Fake Certificate

The Bureau of National Investigations (BNI) has dismissed Moses Ahiakwa, a Security Assistant (labourer) for presenting a fake Basic Education Certificate Examinations (BECE) certificate, to aid his enlistment into the Security Operative. This came to light when Mr Charles Nii Adama Akrong, BNI Senior Lawyer, appeared before the Judgement Debt Commission, to present accounts of outstanding claims against the institution and notices of intention to sue. He told the Commission that there were three outstanding claims, which include that of Moses Ahiakwa, Godwin Cobbina and Nana Abankwa Acheampong, and that only Ahiakwa had served notices of intension to sue. Mr Akrong recounted that the BNI announced to its staff that Security Assistants with BECE or WASSCE would be absorbed into the main stream Security Operative. He said, not long after, Moses Ahiakwa submitted a BECE certificate to that effect, which bore the name Philip Ahiakwa. He said a committee was set up to investigate the matter, and according its findings, the said certificate might belong to Moses Ahiakwa�s brother (Philip Ahiakwa), and for that matter, he (Moses Ahiakwa) was subsequently dismissed by the Bureau. Mr Justice Apau, Sole Commissioner of the Judgement Debt Commission, remarked that there were so many fake certificates including university degrees in the system, and he wanted to know whether criminal action had been instituted by the Attorney General's Department against Moses Ahiakwa. Mr Akrong observed that Moses Ahiakwa had since been handed over to the Attorney -General's Department for criminal prosecution. He said Moses Ahiakwa had sued the Bureau for wrongful dismissal, adding that he (Moses Ahiakwa) kept changing his lawyers. On that of Godwin Cobbina, the BNI Senior Lawyer said some spare parts were placed in Cobbina�s custody which were stolen, and a committee which went into it, concluded that he stole them. He said, based on that, the Bureau terminated his appointment, after which he (Cobbina) went to court to contest that it was only law court that could declare him as having stolen the items. According to Mr Akrong, the court ruled against the state and ordered his re-instatement. He said Cobbina was consequently re-instated, and paid 80 per cent (GH₵ 41,000) of the court fine of GH₵ 48, 000, but the Bureau again terminated his appointment for lost spare parts that were in his custody, adding that Cobbina had since gone to court for redress. In the case of Nana Abankwa Acheampong, Mr Akrong observed that there is a state acquired land adjacent to the Kumasi offices, which was handed over to the BNI for development. He said it was when they started developing the place that they received summons from a Kumasi High that Nana Acheampong was claiming ownership of the said land. Other state institutions that appeared at the sitting to present information on outstanding claims against them were the Bank of Ghana, the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and the Minerals Commission.