The arrest of ex-President of the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association (GREDA), over SIM Box fraud, has broken the hearts of members of the highly respected secret society; the Freemasons group in Ghana, which he is a member, and a top executive.
Dr. Alexander Tweneboah, who was busted by Telecom taskforce, among several SIM Box operators for causing nearly US$40 million loss to the state, is the head of the Winneba Lodge of Freemasons in the Central Region.
Members of the Freemasons in Ghana, include ex-President, John Agyekum Kufuor, the Asantehene, Otumfuor Osei Tutu II, Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Ekumfi, ex-Chief of Staff in the Mills administration, Henry Martey Newman, Lawyer Frank Davids, among other prominent Ghanaians, as well as senior journalists.
This paper’s information is that, the members are unable to come to terms with the reasons why their respected colleague, got himself into this criminal venture, and now sleeping at the wrong side of the law, thus bringing total disgrace and shame to their group and respected members.
Insiders told The Herald, that Dr. Tweneboah, who is a founding member of GREDA, might just be expelled from the Freemasons over the SIM Box fraud case.
During the media engagement with the Commissioner of the CID, Prosper Kwame Agblor, and the Minister of Communications, Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, showed high sense of professionalism, by desisting from describing Dr. Tweneboah, as ex-GREDA boss, even though they knew who he was.
Indeed, while granting various interviews, Dr. Boamah, refused the invitation by radio presenters to link Dr. Tweneboah’s association with his alleged criminal activities, insisting that it was better to deal with him as an individual.
It was after the press conference at the Police Headquarters, and the suspects were paraded with their equipment that the media identified him, Dr. Tweneboah. Obviously embarrassed, Dr. Tweneboah, throughout the photo taking section, refused to turn for the cameras to capture him in handcuffs.
Every attempt by the media to prompt the Police officers in-charge to get him to look into the cameras proved futile, as he constantly turned away.
In fact, each of the five other suspects looked into the cameras, even when they were not told to do so, but Dr. Tweneboah’s was different.
Meanwhile, other known associations and groups which the real estate developer, was linked with, have all disassociated themselves from him. It is not clear yet if the Freemasons, are also going to reject or disassociate themselves from the grandmaster of the Winneba Lodge, who has since been remanded into Police custody, with his five accomplices by court.
A report by a section of the media last Tuesday alleged that Dr. Tweneboah, was a lecturer of the Ashesi University College, but was immediately shot down by the tertiary institution with a full statement distancing itself from him.
The statement explained that Dr. Tweneboah was at the university just once to speak on a topic on real estate development.
Founder and President of Ashesi University, College, Patrick Awuah Jr. signed the statement saying that contrary to reports in a section of the media, Dr. Alexander Tweneboah only visited a session of REAL Estate Development class in October 2011, when he was the president of GREEDA to speak on the topic: “Factors Shaping Real Estate Development in Ghana”.
Also anti-government pressure group, OccupyGhana, has also issued a statement refuting reports that the former, Dr. Alexander Tweneboah, was a member of the group.
The statement was released on the facebook page of a leading member of the pressure group, Ace Ankomah, described the claim as a “rumour orchestrated and perpetrated by persons associated with and sympathetic to the current government”.
In his words “This is false. Dr. Alex Tweneboah has not been and is not a member of OccupyGhana. None of our members is even remotely connected to the investigations in any capacity, whether private or professional”.
The statement further stated that, “OccupyGhana is in full support of all legitimate actions to arrest and prosecute all criminals for various offences adding that it is a political, non-partisan movement that accommodates persons of all good faiths, economic and professional backgrounds.
As it stands now, it seems it is only GREDA that is yet to state it position about Dr. Tweneboah’s arrest, even though their name has been attached to his credentials.
Dr. Tweneboah and five others, were arrested and paraded on Monday by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) within a seven-month operation ,which was in collaboration with the , Ministry of Communications, National Communications Authority (NCA), telecom companies and SUBAH Infosolutions Ghana Limited, who provided a state of the art equipment, capable of detecting where SIM Boxing is being operated.
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