[ 2012-05-24 ]

James Agyenim-Boateng

Jake's 'bungalow' ruling is a bad precedent - Agyenim Boateng
A Deputy Minister of Information, James Agyenim
Boateng has described the Supreme Court ruling on
Jake Obetsebi Lamptey’s ‘bungalow’ as a bad
precedent.

Dr. Omane Boamah, Deputy Minister of Youth and
Sports, and a Deputy Information Minister Samuel
Okudzeto Ablakwa, in 2008 dragged the New
Patriotic Party's Chairman to court for purchasing
a land housing a bungalow he occupied whilst he
was a Minister of State.

They accused him of abuse of office, corruption
and conflict of interest and prayed the Supreme
Court to declare the acquisition of the property
illegal.

But the Supreme Court on Tuesday returned a 6:3
verdict, dismissing the case saying that the
plaintiffs failed to prove their allegations of
abuse of office, corruption and conflict of
interest against the respondent.

Speaking on Peace FM’s morning show, ‘Kokrokoo’
Wednesday, James Agyenim-Boateng said the verdict
by the Supreme Court is a bad precedent that will
open a ‘floodgate’ for other occupants of state
duty post accommodation to acquire those
properties by virtue of their occupancy.

According to the Deputy Information Minister,
being the Chairman (which is factually inaccurate
because Jake was not NPP Chairman then, Mac Manu
was) of then ruling NPP, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey had
‘over bearing influence’ which must has aided his
acquisition of the bungalow.

James Agyenim-Boateng argued that the ruling on
the Jake ‘bungalow’ is not a victory the NPP must
be ‘gloating’ over since the precedent this ruling
has set could be very dangerous.

Felix Kwakye-Ofosu, a member of the government
Communications Team, who also appeared on the
programme said the Supreme Court erred.

Kwakye-Ofosu added Jake's actions offends ‘public
morality’ and thereby cautioned the NPP against
celebrating the ruling.

According to him, Jake’s actions could not have
happened in any advanced democratic country.

The member of the government's communications team
advised Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey to return the
property as the situation depicts the NPP as a
party scrambling over public property.

Source - MyjoyOnline

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