Johnathan Paoli
The SA National Defence Force issued a statement on Sunday in which it sought to clarify the citizenship and employment status of its current acting Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Edem Abotsi, a Ghanaian by birth, following a social media uproar.
While speculation flooded social media over Abotsi’s status and citizenship, the SANDF was forced to respond saying Abotsi has been legally in the country since 1991, was a naturalised South African citizen since 1999 and a qualified auditor and accountant.
Abotsi had previously worked at the Office of the Auditor General for 14 years before leaving as a senior audit manager, the Department said.
In addition, the department said it was unfair and malicious to link Abotsi with illegal nationals, especially those alleged to be involved in criminal activities.
Last month, it was alleged that members of the Department of Defence manipulated dozens of Covid-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) tenders.
It was alleged that the department awarded contracts worth millions to legitimate companies on the condition they “ceded” them to pre-selected middlemen.
Earlier in the year, Maj-General Sean Stratford updated MPs on a project of upgrading the SANDF uniform that would amount to R3.5 billion.
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