A close friend of Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Herbert Mensah, has described as "truly unfortunate" money-laundering claims against the monarch after £350,000 was physically transferred into his UK account.
Vouching for the personal integrity of the Asante monarch, the former Asante Kotoko chairman said the allegation is not "worth us thinking about it".
The UK's Telegraph and Daily Mail reported the revelations in an ongoing tribunal after the bank official, Mark Frank Arthur, who carried the money in a taxi to deposit at the Ghana Commercial Bank in London.
He was subsequently fired for flouting anti-money laundering regulations and he is currently challenging his sacking in a UK court.
In Ghana, the subject has triggered reactions somewhat subdued in certain quarters where the king is held in high esteem. There has been no official reaction from the Manhyia Palace but Herbert Mensah who has an enduring friendship with the king has explained there is "nothing peculiar" to the story.
The king who is not on a salary often receives gifts from subjects and admirers alike.
He said he witnessed a prominent Nigerian give the king a Rolls Royce as a gift while he visited the Otumfuo in the UK.
Reminiscing when he was growing up, Mr Mensah said he saw his father send "massive amounts of money" to the Asantehene.
Like many monarchs, the Asantehene is not to be seen involved in any direct forms of business. "You don't get Otumfuo rushing into a bank," he defended Asante tradition and customs.
The tribunal at the UK, he said appears to be "borne out of internal politics at the bank."
While he concedes the transfer breached rules, he expressed disgust that it would be stretched to include claims of the Asantehene's involvement in illicit activities.
He said the allegation is "topical for people" but £350,000 is "relatively small in the scheme of things" pointing to bigger controversies such as the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) saga.
"For me, it is not a story", he said stating "I know of the integrity of the Otumfuo"
The queen would never do that - Banker criticises Otumfuo
But in a reaction, an international banker Dr Richmond Kwesi Atuahene has questioned why the Asantehene would authorise the physical transfer of £350,000 into an account in the UK.
Dr Atuahene said the physical movement of cash into the bank in the UK is unbecoming of a royal in the stature of the Asantehene.
"The queen would never do this", he referred to the British Queen Elizabeth.
In an interview with Joy News, Dr Atuahene was emphatic the transfer is "against all practices whether in Ghana, America or Canada".
"Withdrawing that kind of money is not professionally done," he wondered why debit cards were not used to effect the transfer.
He disagreed with Mr Mensah's suggestion that the amount involved is not a big deal.
"It is a colossal sum of money," he stressed.
Mr Atuahene insisted that in the UK, withdrawing even £6,000 is a lot of money as his daughter found out recently when she tried to do so in the UK.
"...in that jurisdiction, they are very careful about cash," he said explaining that using hard cash is often associated with nefarious activities such as drugs.
"People of that stature I mean if you talk about the Queen, she would not do that. They would have card systems where they can go and do whatever they want to do" he observed.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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Massa; Do you understand what is going on KWARAAA !!!!!!; it does not a matter as to whether it is withdrawals or deposit ; it is all about illegitimate movement of cash in the UK in which banks laws were flouted and money laundering is suspected under UK laws ; nobody have accused the Ashantehene of anything; after the tribunal the issue of money laundering will be determined by the FCA in London; the Ashanthene is not out of the woods yet .
Otumfuo is a BOSSU if u don't understand go and die
Did the Dr read the story? The case is about deposit, not withdrawal! Getting tired of so called Drs and experts who just open their mouth and talk without understanding the issue. By the way you can deposit or withdraw any amount so far as proper KYC requirements are met in any country. You have to give enough notice!!
What is this rabbit son and an arrogant full of B A Mensah or Herbert Mensah talking talking about!!!!!What an idiotic donkey ; THE LAW IS THE LAW whether you are in the US ;UK or Canada except in Ghana where the laws can be bent suit the Ashanthene because he a so called KING of the Ashante people besides Herbert should understand that people knew his father as a manipulator and a KROOK ; if you are a person of high repute you do not open yourself to scandals to soil your reputation that is why you have people around you to advice you ; the Ashanthene since Jon Mahama came to power have had a BAD reputation ; krooked deals; involved in politics and womanising whilst disgracing the people of Ashante land in Ghana besides if he is the king of Ashante it does not mean he is above the law in the UK and therefore order his subjects in the UK to commit murder because he is a KING besides 350,000 pounds may be chicken feed to this KROOKED KING but flouts the law ; this not the NDC era under Jon Mahama ; where Ashatehene can borrow the private jet of Ibrahim Mahama to do his drug business and launder cash from Ghana ; this idiotic full Herbert Mensah should shut his backside and go deal with his wife Rawlings daugter a full who does not understand laoyalty but goes to marry the daughter of JJ Rawlings and is finally thrown to the DOGS !!!!!!; the Ashantehene flouted the law -PERIOD !!!!!!; the Queen will not give such amount to sombody to go and deposit in ain a bank for her besides what was the source of the funds.
Mr Atuahene.....are equating ur daughter to the asantehene?...Please dont go there....if ur daughter cant withdraw 6000 pounds does that mean the Asantehene cant also do that?....
The bank is rather Ghana International Bank not Ghana Commercial Bank.
Oh lets call a spade a spade. Don't defend the action of high profiles. What says the law and why is the carrier is facing court in the UK?