The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed deep resentment against the decision of the Special Prosecutor (SP), Mr Kissi Agyebeng’s final conclusion on investigations into alleged commission of corruption and corruption-related offenses, involving former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Charles Adu Boahen.
The party has, therefore, served notice that the next NDC government would institute criminal investigations into the conduct of the former government official and prosecute all those who would be found culpable in the “Galamsey Economy” documentary.
The NDC’s reaction was contained in a statement signed and issued by the party’s National Communications Officer, Lawyer Sammy Gyamfi, in a press release yesterday.
A private investigative firm, Tiger Eye PI, released an investigative piece in which the former Minister of State, Charles Adu Boahen, was captured demanding bribe from undercover agents of Tiger Eye P.I, who posed as investors.
In the secretly recorded documentary, which received massive public reaction, Adu Boahen demanded bribe of 20% of the value of the initial make-up investment by the agents.
This, among several others, triggered the concern of President Akufo Addo, who immediately called for the head of his appointee and tasked Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to commence investigations, following huge public outcry that greeted the documentary.
However, the SP, Kissi Agyebeng, has indicated his unwillingness to continue with the case, saying his office could not find Adu Boahene’s conduct in the subject under consideration to be a crime that his office could hunt, after six months of exhaustive investigations.
In a 14 paged release, lawyer Agyebeng disclosed the former government appointee, who got sacked after the documentary was aired, betrothed in influence peddling and, therefore, could not find any alleged corruption and corruption-related offenses against him.
As to whether the OSP has a mandate to further act, he said, “Though the conduct of Mr. Adu Boahen amounts to trading in influence or influence peddling, which is closely associated with corruption, there is no actual criminal prohibition of his acts”.
On that reckoning, the Special Prosecutor directed the closure, at this time, of the investigation in respect of allegations of corruption and corruption-related offenses involving Adu Boahen, to the uttermost surprised of many.
But NDC strongly disagrees with the SP
But the NDC has rejected the position of the Special Prosecutor that Mr Adu Boahen committed no criminal offence in the widely publicised investigative documentary titled “Galamsey Economy”.
The incontrovertible facts remained that Mr Adu Boahen was captured in the video clip as produced by the Tiger Eye P.I demanding bribe of 20% of the value of the initial investment or an upfront payment of 10% of the value of the proposed investment.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Charles Adu Boahen’s conduct as captured in the “Galamsey Economy” documentary of Tiger Eye P.I clearly amounts to the offense of Extortion, as provided under section 247 of the Criminal and Other Offenses Act, 1960 (ACT 29), as amended,” Sammy Gyemfi stated.
Explanation as to Extortion
Giving further explanation to its position on the matter, NDC insisted that a public officer commits extortion under the colour of office to demand or obtain from a person, whether for public purposes or for personal gain.
This, the party added, could be money or valuable consideration, which the public officer knows is not lawfully authorised or at a time at which the public officer knows is not lawfully authorized to demand or to obtain that money or valuable consideration.
In view of this, the party categorically stated that the SP’s report smacked of a cover-up and has the potential to dampen public confidence in the Office of Special Prosecutor if not reviewed immediately.
“The conduct of Charles Adu Boahen constitutes corruption of monumental proportions and must not go unpunished,” the release by Sammy Gyemfi insisted.
“We urge the Ghanaian public to treat this report with the contempt it deserves and demand a total reversal of this disappointing decision of the OSP,” it concluded.
