I Have No Beef With Ayariga – Amidu

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has said there is no feud between him and the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga who is being dragged to court for abuse of office.

Mr. Ayariga has been accused of abusing his office in the purchase of three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers and had been sued by the Special Prosecutor in this regard.

“Whatever case that emanates from here cannot be between me and the accused. It is between the Republic of Ghana and the accused.”

“Were it not for this appointment, I would not have any authority to investigate and prosecute anyone,” Mr. Amidu told the Daily Graphic.

The MP had been accused of evading customs duties and taxes by paying GH¢6,062.86 instead of the approved duties and taxes of GH¢36,597.15 to clear the three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers.

The Bawku Central MP was also among other things accused by the Special Prosecutor of transferring foreign exchange from Ghana through an unauthorised dealer contrary to sections 15(3) and 29(1) of the Foreign Exchange Act 2006, Act 723.

He was also accused of allegedly abusing his office as a public officer for his private benefit by selling the three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers meant to be used for your official duties as a Member of Parliament to one Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car at a price of GH¢40,000 each.

But the case hit a snag after three of the charges were struck out because they had no tangible link to the corruption accusations in the charge sheet presented to the Court by the Office of the Special Prosecutor.

Mr. Amidu admitted to the Daily Graphic newspaper that there were some lapses in his office’s approach and agreed with the High Court’s assessment.

The charges struck out were fraudulent evasion of customs duties and taxes, dealing in foreign exchange without license and transfer of foreign exchange from Ghana through an unauthorised dealer.

“When I got the judgment, I had no doubt that the judge in the case did the right thing by not pronouncing on the ability of the office to investigate and prosecute under the Customs Act or the Foreign Exchange Act,” he told Daily Graphic.

---citinewsroom