[ 2017-02-20 ]

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu

Bribery Committee stops Okudzeto from giving further oral evidence
Parliament’s 5-member ad-hoc committee
investigating the alleged bribery scandal
involving members of the Appointments Committee,
today [Monday], stopped MP for North Tongu, Samuel
Okudzeto Ablakwa, from giving additional oral
evidence as a witness.

The Committee at its hearing today, gave
opportunity to three witnesses namely Boakye
Agyako, Energy Minister, Muntaka Mubarak, Minority
Chief Whip, and Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku
Central. However, it did not allow Mr. Okudzeto to
give further evidence orally aside the information
he read to Parliament from his written statement.


According to the Chairman of Committee, Joe
Ghartey, per the rules of the House, Mr. Okudzeto,
who was not originally part of the witnesses to be
heard orally, was only given the chance to appear
before the Committee because he requested to be a
witness.

He said the proper thing for Mr. Okudzeto to do
per their procedure, was to submit any further
evidence aside what he read before the committee
by memoranda. He reminded him to submit the
memoranda to the Committee on time, since they
will soon be presenting their report to
Parliament.

The petition that led to Parliament forming the
ad-hoc committee, was signed by three minority MPs
namely Mahama Ayariga, Alhassan Suhuyini and
Okudzeto Ablakwa.

The three persons have insisted that there was
indeed an attempted bribery through the Chairman
of the Appointments Committee, Joe Osei-Owusu, who
used the Minority Chief Whip Muntaka Mubarak, as a
conduit to get the Gh3, 000 each to minority
members on the committee.

However, all the three persons accused of
facilitating the payment of the said amount
including the supposed source of the money;
Minister for Energy Boakye Agyarko, have all
denied the occurrence of such an incident.

The three reiterated their position under oath
when they appeared before the investigative
committee.

Source - citifmonline.com

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