Stop Politicizing Criminal Conduct – Martin Amidu

General News on Thursday, January 17, 2019

Source: clbadfmonline.com

2019-01-17

At my approval hearing in Parliament, I stated during my hearing before the Special Prosecutor, and then in an interview with Umaru Sanda of CitiFM and Mabel Aku Baneseh of Daily Graphic On Monday, January 14, 2019, I strived to keep the alleged charges of committing the crime citizens pending until the investigations revealed an imputable offense that may be brought before a competent court.

But I also made it clear that when a suspect reveals that he is under investigation for a crime and misrepresents the facts, my hands are forced to correct such statements. . I did not know that, while I was interviewing CitiFM and Daily Graphic on the morning of Monday, January 14, 2019, the Special Prosecutor's Office and myself had been attacked the day before in an article from Breaking News "reporting diversionary propaganda and grim political ploy around the pursuit of an hon.

The first sentence of the broadcast message is: "BREAKING NEWS. The government's prosecution for diversionary propaganda must make headlines tomorrow as Hon Mahama Ayariga is to be prosecuted by the special prosecutor. Confidential information intercepted reveals an ominous political ploy to arrest and prosecute the deputy of Bawku Central for various "offenses". "

He continues with statements:

"We can remember that former President Jerry John Rawlings recently asked what was preventing Martin Amidu from doing his job …" "Just to clarify the fact that Mahama Ayarriga MP does not have to do anything about it." was not arrested by a security apparatus but only invited questioning of the acquisition of an ambulance for the constituency supported by the Bawku Municipal Assembly; and the health administration of Bawku. "

Let me be clear. No one will make me or my office a political investigation or prosecution as long as I remain a special prosecutor.

My record shows that fact. I left the position of Attorney General and Minister of Justice in January 2012 because I refused to be prosecuted for prosecuting fellow citizens for purely political reasons. At one point, I insisted on prosecuting President Mill's cousin on three roles for bribery, violation of procurement procedure for the purchase of motorcycles for the Ghana National Fire Service and violation of procurement procedures procurement and procurement legislation National Fire Department of Ghana.

One of the suspects in the bribery case was my last roommate at Martin Luther King House at Navrongo School, Hallmate at Commonwealth Hall in Legon and my very close friend as Attorney General who was then Attorney General At the Attorney General's Office. It is well known that the deceased President escaped prosecution by asking my deputy to bademble the three roles of the Director of Public Prosecutions and lock them up during my lecture at the Commonwealth Ministerial Conference in Sydney, Australia , in July 2011. Repeat: No one can use myself or my office for political investigations or prosecutions as long as I remain a special prosecutor. Fortunately, this President has kept his promise to give me a free hand to fulfill my mandate under the 2017 Law on the Special Prosecutor's Office (Law No. 959).

Several false statements need to be corrected. L & # 39; Hon. Mahama Ayariga was never invited to the Special Prosecutor's Office on January 14, 2019 for inquiries or questions regarding the acquisition of an "ambulance for the constituency supported by the Municipal Assembly of Bawku … ". L & # 39; Hon. Mahama Ayariga was accompanied to the Special Prosecutor's Office by an investigator from the Bureau of Economic Crime and arranged to be interrogated about an urgent letter addressed by that office to the Commissioner-General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, Mr. Kofi Nti, who was not copied to another person or entity.

The letter was forwarded on WhatsApp by the GRA to the Hon. Mahama Ayariga who in turn transmitted the message on WhatsApp with impunity to the Executive Director of EOCO on December 24, 2018. I was informed of the WhatsApp on December 25, 2018 and I have received a copy by email on December 27, 2018 after requesting it persistently. EOCO and this office have investigated the Hon. Mahama Ayariga for obstructing investigations and other alleged infractions and, as a result, for her commitment to communicate with WhatsApp messages intended for EOCO was audacious and suspicious.

L & # 39; Hon. Mahama Ayariga appeared before EOCO on January 4, 2019, but was not questioned about the origin of the GRA leak and her phone was not taken as an exhibit . Rather, he was allowed to go to his riding without my knowledge as an investigator. As a result, I asked the Minister responsible for the GRA to investigate the leak of my letter to Mr. Kofi Nti and the Hon. Mahama Ayariga and then to EOCO.

L & # 39; Hon. Mahama Ayariga was accompanied by two lawyers to the investigative division of that office on January 14, 2019, where he confessed to receiving the WhatsApp call he had sent to EOCO's Executive Director and released him on bail. This survey is very important for the fight against corruption because many funds have already been lost to the public following the leakage of the actions undertaken by GRA to recover funds from tax evaders. This particular case has given me the opportunity to try to get to the bottom of this corruption canker. The investigation of the leaks of my letter from the GRA continues, despite those who claim to have powerful parents in the government.

L & # 39; Hon. Mahama Ayariga and his lawyers can confirm that he was not questioned about an alleged ambulance for the Bawku Municipal Assembly on January 14, 2019, either in his investigation or in his testimony. Four photographs of the Hon. Mahama Ayariga, smiling in the company of one of her lawyers, is exposed to the news right out of this office on January 14, 2019, showing that there was no propaganda to sue anyone under the leadership of a government in power. Coincidentally, a Yakubu Mumuni Nambe, member of the Assembly of the Bawku Municipal Assembly and parent of the Hon. Ayariga on the mother's side was invited the same day to an interrogation on the purchase of an ambulance by the Bawku Municipal Assembly. The City Director General, the Hon. Hajia Hawa Ninchema, appointed by the President and other personalities, had already been quizzed, as in our own way in the past, in the same ambulance – but never. Mahama Ayariga. L & # 39; Hon. Yakubu Mumuni Nambe made a statement to the detectives in my office and was released on bail. It had nothing to do with the hon. The appearance of Mahama Ayariga at this office on January 14, 2019. That Hon. Mahama Ayariga would be invited to any ambulance, it will depend on the determination of the detectives responsible for the investigation of the Bawku ambulance.

L & # 39; Hon. Yakubu Mumuni Nambe and Hajia Hawa Ninchema are not members of the NDC. L & # 39; Hon. The elder brother of Nambe is appointed by the president to the board of the National Petroleum Authority. The director general of the municipality is a known member of the NPP and I will not stop an investigation for that reason. L & # 39; Hon. Mahama Ayariga is my son and will remain my son according to the custom of Bawku commune where he and my first daughter, Hagar, were born in 1974 and where his parents and I grew up. But the crime will be treated as a crime if he or Hagar commit offenses under my supervision under Law 959; period!

I am also investigating another offense under the Public Procurement Act that directly affects the Office of the Commissioner and in which the suspects have failed or refused to appear because they believe they have links to the government.

However, I can badure the public that as long as I occupy the role of special prosecutor, the crime will always be treated as a crime and that no political party card can serve as a guarantee against investigations and / or prosecution for offenses within my mandate to the Bureau. of the 2017 Law on Special Prosecutors (Law 959).

I am determined to maintain the confidence that Ghanaians have placed in me to support my approval and appointment by the President as Special Prosecutor until further decided by a competent court.

MARTIN B. B. K. AMIDU JANUARY 16, 2019