Following the report and closure of the investigations on the former Finance Minister, Charles Adu Boahen, by the Special Prosecutor, the National Democratic Congress has promised to reopen the investigations if it wins power.
This was stated in a press release undersigned by the party’s Director of Communications, Sammy Gyamfi.
According to the National Democratic Congress, the report of the Office of the Special Prosecutor on the matter was disgusting.
“The conduct of Charles Adu Boahen constitutes corruption of monumental proportions and must not go unpunished. We wish to serve notice, that the next National Democratic Congress government shall institute criminal investigations into this matter to prosecute all those found culpable.
“The National Democratic Congress has noted with disgust the report of the OSP (Office of the Special Prosecutor) on investigations into the alleged commission of corruption and corruption-related offenses involving former deputy finance minister, Charles Adu Boahen.”
Sammy Gyamfi
The party thus urged Ghanaians to disregard the report.
“Until then, 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 office of the special prosecutor.”
Sammy Gyamfi
From the statement, the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s conclusions were flawed.
The Special Prosecutor’s Office’s conclusion in paragraph 7.1 of the report suggests that although Mr. Adu Boahen’s actions amounted to trading in influence or influence peddling, which is closely associated with corruption, there is no specific criminal prohibition that falls within the scope of the special prosecutor’s mandate, is flawed and misguided.
According to the statement, after conducting a thorough forensic analysis of the audio-visual recording provided by Tiger Eye P. I, confirming it as an accurate depiction of the events, and definitively establishing that Charles Adu Broadens did, in fact, request a bribe of 20% of the initial investment value or an upfront payment of 10% of the proposed investment value, along with a post-investment share of the proceeds, from undercover agents of Tiger Eye P. I posing as businessmen interested in investing in Ghana, it is unjustifiable for the Special Prosecutor’s Office to conclude that Charles is not guilty of a crime.
Extortion Rather Than Influence Peddling
The statement, while denying the conclusions of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, postulated that the actions of the former minister amounted to extortion.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Charles Adu Boahen’s conduct as captured in the Galamsey Economy documentary of Tiger Eye p. I amount to the offense of extortion as provided under Section 247 of the Criminal and other Offenses Act, 1960 (act 29), as amended, which provides as follows;
“A public officer commits extortion who, under color of office, demands or obtains from a person, whether for public purposes or personal gain or for any other person money or valuable consideration which the public officer knows is not lawfully authorized or at a time at which the public officer knows is not lawfully authorized to demand or to obtain that money or valuable consideration.”
Sammy Gyamfi
Following this article, the National Democratic Congress believes that Charles Adu Boahen is culpable and must be made to face the law.
Furthermore, the National Democratic Congress believes that the report from Mr. Kissi Agyebeng was an attempt by the Office of the Special Prosecutor to cover up for the former Finance Minister.
According to the NDC, “the report smacks of a cover-up and has the potential to dampen public confidence in the Office of a Special Prosecutor if not reviewed immediately.”
