‘Onus probandi” is an abridged Latin legal terminology that translates to Burden of Proof.
Burden of Proof obliges the accusing party to prove its allegations. Despite the default position, the accused may also have cause to prove against the claims or evidence.
Following the surprise move by the Ministry of Roads, Nana Akomea, the Managing Director of the State Transport Corporation (STC), expressed his excitement at the decision of the Ministry of Roads and Highways to refer the allegation of corruption by Professor Stephen Adei to EOCO for further investigations.
The Professor, a popular sympathizer of the ruling NPP, had earlier made some accusations that some associates of the ministry demand GHS 1 million upfront payment before contracts are awarded.
Nana Akomea thus emphasized that corruption accusations without evidence, if not investigated, remain mere allegations. In addition, he called for all hands on deck in the fight against corruption by way of evidence.
“Largely it is left at the accusation stage. Professor Adei is also just throwing accusations. I am happy that the Ministry of Roads and Highways is saying that these accusations are serious, so we don’t think it should remain as one of those things being thrown about. Let us try and get to the bottom of this because it is only when some investigation is done, that we can go ahead with the issues. So the ministry has done a very good thing to say that EOCO, evoke your powers to get us to the bottom of this.
“This fight against corruption is a fight that should involve all of us because it affects all of us negatively. Very often, we have heard allegations or references or allusions, accusations being made about corruption. As for NPP and NDC, it’s their daily toast. NDC will accuse NPP of corruption and that we will jail you and vice versa. So as for the two big political parties, it is their daily meal.”
Nana Akomea
In supporting his arguments, Nana Akomea cited instances of alleged corruption in 2008 where the NDC told the voters that the country’s gold bars had been siphoned away and also about 8 people who had bank accounts that were more than the GDP. He recounted that the accusations were unproven later after the election, even though the NDC promised so. He thus further postulated that leaving accusations unproven has continued to embolden people to weaponize accusations without proof.
He underscored that these accusations happen even intraparty.
“Let’s hold people to strict proof”, he emphasized.
Kickbacks And Kickfronts
Nana Akomea also admitted and explained a trend he termed ‘kickbacks’ which as well accepted within Ghana’s body politic.
“But the substance of his concern is that there is a lot of corruption and there is a situation where contracts are given upon an upfront payment. We have all heard of kickbacks. Kickbacks means we will give you a contract, [then] you will go and give somebody five percent or something. Kickbacks have become part of our political literature.
“But now he says there are kick-fronts. Now what Prof. is saying is that it’s kick-fronts. Where your monies are demanded before you are given the contract. And he says that all of these are instances of corruption in the system that should be fought.”
Nana Akomea
This trend absolves the awardees of the contract from any potential risk of delayed payment of the contracts by the government.
Moreover, Nana Akomea thought that Professor Stephen Adei was emotional in his accusations because he ignored a well-established process for choosing a president in the country.
“Now I just saw the clip that you played on Professor Adei’s statement. One little thing that struck me, in the clip that you played, was I thought the good professor was a little bit emotional. I may be wrong but that’s the impression I got. And the reason why I got that impression was the remark that he made in the clip that you just played.
“He said that there are arrogant people who are corrupt and they are now telling us who should be our next president, and that God forbid! I don’t understand this particular outburst. That is why I am saying that I thought the good professor was emotional in that interview he granted.”
Nana Akomea
“Coming from a professor whom we all respect, I suspect that he was led over by emotions. I think he was being emotional because that outburst [was] completely needless”, he added.
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