By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has described as flawed and misconceived the reasons given by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for not prosecuting former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry, Mr. Charles Adu Boahen.
The party insists that Adu Boahen’s actions amount to extortion and that it is therefore unacceptable for the Special Prosecutor (SP), Mr. Kissi Agyebeng to conclude that he (Adu Boahen) is not guilty of a crime.
The NDC in its statement signed by Sammy Gyamfi, its National Communications Officer threatened that the next NDC government will prosecute Mr. Adu Boahen.
“Having forensically verified the audiovisual recording adduced by Tiger Eye P. I as a true reflection of the events represented thereon, and having conclusively established that Charles Adu Boahen indeed, demanded a bribe of 20% of the value of the initial investment or an upfront payment of 10% of the value of the proposed investment and a post-investment sharing of the proceeds of same from undercover agents of Tiger Eye P. I who were posing as businessmen interested in investing in Ghana, it is totally unacceptable for the OSP to have concluded that Charles Adu is not guilty of a crime.
For the avoidance of doubt, Charles Adu Boahen’s conduct was captured in the “Galamsey Economy” documentary of Tiger Eye P. I clearly amount to the offence of Extortion as provided under section 247 of the Criminal and Other Offenses Act, 1960 (ACT 29), as amended.
The OSP’s report smacks of a cover-up and has the potential to dampen public confidence in the Office of Special Prosecutor if not reviewed immediately. The conduct of Charles Adu Boahen constitutes corruption of monumental proportions and must not go unpunished. We wish to serve notice, that the next NDC government shall institute criminal investigations into this matter with the objective of prosecuting all those found culpable,” portions of the NDC statement read.
Mr. Boahen was captured in a documentary put together by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, and his Tiger Eye PI team claiming Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia could be paid $200,000 as an appearance fee for investors. He was subsequently sacked by the President after the issue came to the fore.
But in its report on Monday, October 30, 2023, the OSP said it decided to close the case because it found that, although Adu Boahen engaged in influence peddling, he didn’t engage in any actual criminal activity that warrants an action by the Special Prosecutor.
Mr Gyamfi asked Ghanaians to treat the OSP’s report with the “contempt it deserves and demand a total reversal of this disappointing decision of the OSP.”
