The Deputy Minority Leader of Parliament and Member of the Appointments Committee, Patricia Appiagyei, has expressed her readiness to assist the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in any investigations relating to a memo she is alleged to have written.
She said the OSP has not reached out to her yet but would gladly honour their invitation if they do.
“I have not been contacted by the OSP…Why not? It is a state institution. I cannot do otherwise,” she stressed in an interview with Accra-based Joy FM on September 4.
Mrs Appiagyei was responding to a statement issued earlier by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) inviting her to appear before the Office to assist with the preliminary inquiry into the alleged GH¢70,000 purportedly allocated to her in connection with the vetting of ministerial and nominees to the Supreme Court.
This comes after a memo circulating in the media allegedly indicates that Member of Parliament for Asokwa, Patricia Appiagyei, returned the money given to her.
In a statement on Friday, September 4, the anti-corruption agency said it had taken note of the document making rounds and has commenced preliminary investigation into the veracity of the document, the source of the alleged funds, and the purpose of the alleged funds.
The OSP said the contents of the purported memorandum raised concerns because it allegedly cast doubt on the source of the funds and suggested “that it had the hallmarks of extortion of the nominees.”
“Given the constitutional importance of the Appointments Committee of Parliament and the need to safeguard the integrity of the vetting process, and taking into consideration the content of the document to the effect that Hon. Patricia Appiagyei purportedly cast doubt on the source of the alleged funds and that it had the hallmarks of extortion of the nominees, the OSP has commenced preliminary investigation into the veracity of the document, the source of the alleged funds, and the purpose of the alleged funds.
“To this effect, the OSP has dispatched a communication inviting Hon. Patricia Appiagyei to attend the OSP and assist it with the preliminary investigation,” the OSP noted.
The document, which is purportedly a memorandum from Appiagyei to Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam/Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, allegedly indicates that the lawmaker returned the money after questioning its source and purpose.
Per the memo, the alleged funds were purportedly advanced by the Majority Chief Whip in relation to the Appointments Committee’s vetting of two nominees for ministerial positions and three nominees to the Supreme Court.
According to the MP for Asokwa, she did not write that memo.
“I find it strange this memo is purported to have been written by me. It is fake,” she said on Accra-based Joy FM on September 4.
Asked whether the signature on the memo looks like hers, she said, “As for signatures, these days, people can easily scan and use. That is why we are not too safe about these things.”
Pushed further, Mrs Appiagyei, “it looks close though.”
She indicated that, “I am working on a statement, and it will be released soon.”
BACKGROUND
In the memo under reference, the Member of Parliament for Asokwa rejected an amount of GHC70,000.
Her reason is that she does not know the source of the money.
“It is with regret that I return the amount of seventy thousand cedis (GHS70,000.00) allocated to me as an advance of money from the Majority Chief Whip of Parliament of Ghana. I am returning the money on the basis of the fact that, primarily, I do not know the source of the money being given to me,” the Deputy Minority Leader stated in the memo dated September 2, sighted by 3news.
In the Memo addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and MP for Nsawam/ Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, she explained further, “My first reason is the fact that I do not want to enjoy any financial benefit under any circumstances to vet our own colleagues in leadership from the other side being either Hon. Mahama Ayariga or Hon. Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings.”
“Secondly, due to the Minority’s protest and non-participation of the vetting of the three Judges namely; Justice Sophia Rosetta Oduokuwa Bernasko Essah, Justice Edward Amoako Asante and Justice Anthony Forson Jnr, on a matter of principle, I consider it totally unthinkable that I should enjoy any gift presented by any of the above judges. It is also not my intention to extort any money from any of the above judges,” she stated.
“In lieu of the above, and also in support of the Minority Leader’s decision to return his share of the amount sent to him in that respect, I humbly return the amount of seventy thousand cedis (GHS70,000.00) to be sent back to the Chief Whip of the Majority Caucus in Parliament bringing to his attention my reasons for doing so,” Mrs Appiagyei stated.
It is recalled that members of the Minority Caucus in Parliament walked out on proceedings during the vetting of three Supreme Court judge nominees on August 27,
They cited what they term irregular procedure adopted by the leadership of the Committee.
Before leaving the session, the Minority Leader, Alexander Afenyo-Markin stated their objection to the procedure adopted by the leadership of the Committee.
“The procedure that has been adopted is at variance with the orders of the House. How can you ask us to vet Supreme Court judges with three days’ notice,” he queried.
This was preceded by extensive debate between him and the Chairman of the Committee, Bernard Ahiafor.
“The standard practice is to give fourteen days’ notice, advertise in the newspapers before the vetting is done,” Afenyo-Markin stressed.
He proceeded to read concerns raised by then Minority Leader, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, when a similar situation, in which a short notice was given for the vetting of Supreme Court nominees.
Afenyo-Markin stated that, “to the nominees, we are not against your nomination, we are against the procedure and we cannot be part of this.”
He then walked out, followed by other Minority members of the Committee.
