The Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, has confirmed the similarity between her signature and the one found on the memo purported to have been written by her to the Minority Chief Whip.
According to the Member of Parliament for Askokwa, although the signature looks very much like hers, it is forged.
She explained that with the advent of technology, signatures can easily be scanned and used.
Mr Appiagyei was responding to questions regarding a memo she is purported have authored.
In the memo under reference, the Deputy Minority Leader is alleged to have rejected an amount of GHC70,000.
Among her reasons was 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 author of the memo wrote.
The MP for Asokwa has since denied authoring that memo. Before issuing an official statement, Mrs Appiagyei granted an interview to Accra-based Joy FM.
“I find it strange that this memo is purported to have been written by me. It is fake,” she said 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.”
Pushed further, the lawmaker stated, “What’s a signature? People can easily scan and use. So that one, I don’t know. That’s why we are not too safe about these things.
I’ve seen the memo. But anybody at all can fake my signature. If I write three signatures, they may look the same, but there will be a little variation. People can easily scan these things. It’s Close, though.”
Meanwhile, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has indicated that it will invite Mr Appiagyei to help with preliminary investigations.
According to her, she has not been contacted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor but would gladly honour their invitation if they do.
“Why not? It is a state institution. I cannot do otherwise,” she stressed.
READ ALSO:
Alleged GHC70k ‘gift’: A case of mere similarity in signatures?
