Bribery Scandal: Televise Hearing – CHRAJ

The proceedings of the body investigating the bribery scandal against the Appointments Committee must be aired live, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) is advocating.

The Commissioner of CHRAJ, Mr Joseph Whittal, has lauded Parliament for setting up the five-member committee to look into bribery allegations against the chairman of the committee Joe Osei Owusu and some MPs.

“That means the strict proof of corruption will be brought to bear on the investigations, as is done in court,” Mr. Whittal told the Daily Graphic.

The Speaker of parliament Prof. Mike Oquaye on Tuesday set up a five-member Special Committee headed by former second deputy speaker Joe Ghartey to investigate claims by Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga and two others that attempts were made to bribe members of the House to approve the then Energy minister-designate, following his vetting.

The Committee has four weeks to conclude with its investigations.

The setting up of the Committee is at the behest of the leadership of the House after the First Deputy Speaker Joe Osei Owusu had formally made a complaint to the Speaker on Tuesday.

Mr Whittal has, however, served notice CHRAJ will delve into the case if the issue of corruption is not addressed.

He said CHRAJ will “closely monitor to know whether corruption takes centre stage in the investigations.

“If the issue of corruption is not addressed properly in the report after the investigations, we will come out and investigate.”

Meanwhile, Starrfmonline.com understands the Minority in Parliament is set to demand a public hearing of the committee set up to investigate the bribery allegation against the appointments committee of the House.