Justice (CHRAJ), last weekend said the Commission was in the process of investigating alleged corruption charges against Dr. Stephen Opuni, Chief Executive Officer of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB).
In an interview with newsmen in Accra, Mr. Short said CHRAJ had received a petition from the Progressive Nationalist Forum and therefore initiated the investigations.
“We have received the petition and referred it to the Chief Investigator who has begun investigations”, he said.
The Forum, a pressure group, in their petition signed by Richard Kwasi Nyamah, President, said it had accurate and detailed information that showed possible abuse of public office and malfeasance in the FDB.
It noted that between July and September 2009, Dr. Opuni rented a residential accommodation at Kanda, a suburb of Accra, at a cost of $3,500 per month, and pressurized the management to pay a two-year advance bill of $84,000.
The Forum contended that the transaction took place under circumstances which suggested possible corruption since it was done without the authorization of the Governing Board of the FDB.
It said Dr. Opuni was involved in the increase of the rent charges for the FDB office from $7,000 per month to $12,000 a month, also a transaction undertaken without the authorization of the Governing Board of the FDB.
“Since Dr. Opuni assumed office, transactions and activities of the FDB had been done without recourse to the Governing Board, raising serious queries about their appropriateness and hinting of serious irregularities. These included closure of shops, banning of products and the procurement of a Land Cruiser for his use”, it said.