The Tale of Constable Yebbi and Corporal Avalifo’s Theft of GH¢100m from the NDC in 1997

In 1997, two junior police officers, Constable Fedelix Kwame Yebbi and Corporal Anthony Kwesi Avalifo, faced charges before the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal for allegedly stealing GH¢100,000,000.00 (now GH¢10,000.00) belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The money was reported to have been stolen from the residence of Dr. Obed Asamoah, then-Attorney General, over a period of seven months, from September 1997 to April 1998.

During the trial, the officers challenged the jurisdiction of the Greater Accra Regional Tribunal, arguing that the tribunal had no authority to hear their case.

They contended that since the stolen money belonged to a political party and not the State, it did not fall under the tribunal’s jurisdiction.

However, after careful deliberation, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the tribunal had full jurisdiction to hear the case.

The court emphasized that although the money belonged to the NDC, a political party, the case involved aspects of public interest.

Therefore, stealing money from a political party was considered a matter of public concern, and members of the party had the right to ensure that the perpetrators were held accountable.

The two accused officers, Constables Yebbi and Avalifo, were alleged to have stolen the money while on guard duty at Dr. Obed Asamoah’s residence. The stolen funds were reportedly intended for disbursement in support of NDC activities.

The court’s ruling paved the way for the continuation of proceedings against the accused officers before the tribunal. The case highlighted the importance of upholding the rule of law and ensuring accountability, even in cases involving political entities.