Fears are being strongly entertained in financial circles that the celebrated financial malpractices at the Kumasi branch of the Bank of Ghana (BoG), which were unearthed in 1999 may be swept under the carpet, reports the Democrat.

The reason is that the manager at the centre of the fraud, Mrs. Janet Gyimah-Kessie, is the wife of the Mamponghene, Nana Osei Bonsu II, who is known to be a close associate of both the President, Mr John A. Kufuor and the Minister of Defence, Dr. Kwame Addo Kufuor who is a brother of the President.

Even though the report on the special investigation into the treasury operations of the Kumasi branch of BoG had been ready by October last year and also the report on the alleged financial malpractices at the same place had been ready by May last year, the present NPP administration had been dragging its feet on the matter and does not appear keen to prosecute the fraudsters because of the alleged involvement of Nana Mamponghene.

The paper alleges that apart from the relationship between Nana Osei Bonsu and the President and the Minister of Defence, it is also believed that the late first wife of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Nana Akufo-Addo, was sister of Nana Mamponhene.

Thus despite the fact that the case is now ripe for hearing, it appears that the Chief of State Attorney for Ashanti, one Mr. Agbolosu, is handicapped to prosecute the case because of the vested interest of the government of the NPP in the case.