Justice Srem Sai and Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, (NAPO)
The Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Justice Srem Sai, has confirmed that former minister who served at the Ministry of Energy and Ministry of Education, under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, alias NAPO, is under investigation by the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB).
The investigation is believed to be linked to various projects undertaken during his tenure at both ministries throughout the eight-year Akufo-Addo administration.
Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on June 11, 2025, Justice Srem Sai, emphasised that the invitation to assist in investigation alone does not indicate wrongdoing on the part of the former minister.
“He has been going to NIB for a while now. Nobody knew until he said it publicly. He was a Minister of Energy and Education, so, definitely, we have projects that were undertaken during his time. So, he would definitely be answering questions in respect of that,” Srem Sai stated.
Among the issues under review is the controversial procurement of mathematical sets under the Ministry of Education.
However, Justice Srem Sai was quick to clarify that being invited for questioning does not equate to being guilty.
“You will not be prosecuted unless there is evidence that you were complicit in some of the things you undertook. The fact that you’re a minister at the time doesn’t mean that you will be criminally liable for anything,” he indicated.
He cited the case of former Attorney General and then the railway minister, Joe Ghartey, who was questioned in connection with the Sky Train project but was never charged after providing his explanation.
Justice Srem Sai further warned against conflating ministerial oversight with personal culpability.
He noted that certain actions within ministries may occur without the direct involvement or knowledge of the minister.
He also praised the conduct of many government appointees currently under investigation, highlighting their cooperation and discretion throughout the process.
“I appreciate the demeanour of a lot of the government appointees. Once in a while, you hear that someone has been picked up, or someone has been invited but I can tell you that, a large number of the persons who have been arrested and are now on bail. They’re cooperating with investigations quietly,”he said.
According to Justice Srem Sai, most of these individuals respect due process and refrain from stirring public controversy.
MRA/VPO
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