BOST MD chases Duncan Amoah for GHC5m over ‘death threats’

Managing director of BOST, Alfred Obegn Boateng, has sued the executive secretary of COPEC Ghana, Duncan Amoah, seeking a total of GHC5 million as damages over allegation of death threats. Mr. Duncan claimed on Sunday that Mr. Boateng had contracted some agents to kill him for uncovering an alleged shady deal at BOST. According to Mr. Duncan, after COPEC uncovered an alleged sell off of 1.8million barrels of crude oil by BOST, causing the state to lose about 5.3 million dollars, Mr. Boateng on Friday afternoon sent his ‘boys’ to threaten to kill him. “Our findings are put out awaiting publication from tomorrow Monday only for the MD OF BOST to now send his boys using the following telephone numbers (0554909352, 0269404436 and 0555095891) to curse, insult, attack and threaten my life saying I will be killed in 3 days from yesterday” he told 3news.com. READ: COPEC boss claims BOST MD wants him “killed in 3 days” But Mr. Boateng denied the claim and said he was in touch with his lawyers to sue Mr.Amoah on the death threat allegation, which the MD said he was taking seriously. Breakdown of damages He consequently filed a defamation suit at the Accra High Court Tuesday seeking a whooping 5million cedi damages against Mr. Amoah. The BOST MD is praying the court to award him 2 million each for professional and social reputational damages as well as one million cedis for psychological stress. In the meantime he has filed a motion before the court seeking to restrain Mr. Duncan, his agents and assigns “from further publishing or broadcasting any word or words or images in any manner whatsoever to the effect that plaintiff had coopted, engaged, contracted or solicited the services of any person or persons to curse, insult, attack, threaten the life of the defendant or threaten to kill defendant in three days pending a final determination to this suit upon terms more particularly stated in the accompanying affidavit.” The court registry has fixed March 23 for the hearing of the injunction application. BOST slams ‘ignorant’ COPEC over GHS23m deal Meanwhile BOST described as “a total display of lack of understanding of what happens in the oil industry” the allegations of  COPEC accusing  BOST of engaging in a “shady deal” that has cost the state  some GHS23 million. COPEC’s alleged that BOST sold 1.8 million barrels of crude oil to BB Energy, an oil marketing company, at a discount of $2 per barrel, causing the state to lose GHS23 million. In response to the allegation on Tuesday March 13, Head of Fuel Trade of BOST, Albert Mantey argues that it is not out of place to give discounts on the commodity market. He explained it is economically wise to discount products in some instances. “If you’re buying anything and you’re ready to pay cash, instead of 90 days, 120 days you’re ready to do early settlement you can be granted discount because there is value for money, you can invest the money earlier and get returns,” he explained. He further explained that it was a prudent business decision they made to sell the product at Free On Board (FOB). “We decided to sell the product FOB, which is the prudent commercial decision because incurring additional cost which we don’t know how much it will be and hiring a freight, we don’t know what may happen, so we made the decision of selling the product at FOB and clearing our hands off it.” He added that the decision to refine the product after it was sold “was a decision BOST was not involved” for which reason COPEC cannot hold them liable. BOST maintains “it’s a total display of ignorance” for COPEC to allege that BB Energy, an oil marketing company that bought the product needed to be licensed before refining the oil at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). He emphasised that per fuel trade in the country, no company requires a license to refine a product at TOR and that was the case with BB Energy. By 3news.com|Ghana]]>