Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party, Richard Ahiagbah, has responded to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, accusing it of pursuing a media campaign aimed at damaging the reputation of former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta instead of prosecuting him in court.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on Wednesday, June 17, Mr Ahiagbah questioned the actions of the Office of the Special Prosecutor and argued that if there is sufficient evidence against Mr Ofori-Atta, the office should proceed with prosecution rather than continue public commentary on the matter.
Mr Ahiagbah rejected suggestions that the New Patriotic Party has influence over the whereabouts of Mr Ofori-Atta.
“The association with the NPP is still that we have in some way and we can just snap our fingers and say come and you appear. No, there is no such magical enjoyment on us to do that. It is only mischievous to continue that narrative,” he told Moro Awudu.
He also questioned the recent comments and actions of the Special Prosecutor, arguing that Ghana’s laws provide avenues for prosecution even when an accused person is outside the country.
“I don’t understand what the Special Prosecutor is saying unless he is just busy about nothing,” Mr Ahiagbah said.
“Our Constitution allows for someone to be tried in absentia. You have strong evidence. You have basis. Why can’t the prosecutor go ahead and do it?”
He cited previous cases in which court proceedings continued despite the absence of the accused person and insisted that the Special Prosecutor should rely on the courts rather than public pronouncements.
“You have created an impression in this country and almost every Ghanaian thinks that Ken has done something wrong by your public prosecution of the man,” he said.
“If those pieces of evidence you think are strong enough to stand the test of court scrutiny, take it to court. Prosecute the man.”
Mr Ahiagbah further argued that the Special Prosecutor has regular access to Mr Ofori-Atta’s legal representatives and therefore has adequate channels of communication available.
“On a daily basis, the Special Prosecutor has access to Ken’s lawyers. It is not as if there is no access to the man. You have access to his lawyers. Prosecute him,” he said.
“They bring you documents, you talk to them when you need to talk to them. You hear them when they issue statements. You read them when they issue statements. So you can communicate through them.”
According to him, the continued public discussion of the case without a court determination risks undermining the constitutional principle that an accused person remains innocent until proven guilty.
“This whole business of trying to dirty Ken’s name without going through the process to obtain that licence to officially say that he has corrupted himself, I think it is unfair. I think it is wrong. It should not be done to anybody,” he said.
Mr Ahiagbah went on to accuse the Special Prosecutor of targeting both Mr Ofori-Atta and the NPP.
“It seems to me his whole business is just to dirty the man’s name and in the process draw the New Patriotic Party into it,” he said.
He also criticised the government, claiming its actions suggested a lack of interest in ensuring fairness in the matter.
“As it stands now, there is no evidence that Ken has done anything,” Mr Ahiagbah said.
He further alleged that recent developments reflected what he described as selective justice under the current administration.
“By the way, you see the conduct of this government and those notices that were issued yesterday, chronicling how we see this government engage in a certain selective justice delivery in this country.”
Source: metrotvonline.com
