Bribery scandal: Radio Gold to be hauled before ad hoc committee

The Joe Ghartey-led Ad hoc committee probing the alleged bribery scandal that has hit the legislature would be calling up Accra-based Radio Gold for questioning very soon, Kasapafmonline.com can confirm.

The Ad hoc committee has so far recorded statements from four witnesses in its on-going probe into the alleged bribery scandal.

Some Minority MPs on the Appointments Committee have alleged that Energy Minister, Hon Boakye Agyarko attempted influencing them with an amount of GHS 3000 to facilitate his[Agyarko] approval as Energy minister by consensus after he was vetted.

Former Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, who’s also the MP for Essikadu-Ketan in the Western Region, led a five-member committee approved by Parliament last week to begin a probe to establish the truth or otherwise of the allegation.

Bawku Central Member of Parliament Mahama Ayariga who is the accuser has said news about the bribery allegation he made against the leadership of the Appointments committee of parliament, first emerged from an Accra-based Radio Gold.

Ayariga told the Ad hoc committee in its sitting Monday, February, 20, 2017 that he got wind of the scandal first on Radio Gold upon which he was later called by the station for an interview on the matter that unfolded.

“The bribery allegation came out through Radio Gold. And Radio Gold started it, I think in the afternoon, and in the form of a breaking news. This must have been around two O’clock in the afternoon and then it went to social media, it went online. I got wind of it online. I didn’t hear it but I just saw it on whatsapp that Radio Gold has said this , then subsequently I got a call from Radio Gold asking for an interview with me on this issue that they had put out. I thought about it and I said Okay I would grant them the interview and I will tell them what I knew because I was a member of the committee,” he revealed.

Against the backdrop of Ayariga’s account before the committee, the radio station (Radio Gold) this website is told will be invited in the coming days as a witness during proceedings to provide evidence.

The Joe Ghartey-led Committee enquiry is likely to be dealt a blow in its findings should there be any lacuna in the ongoing probe, a situation which leaves Radio Gold no chance to be spared in the case as witness.

The Committee is to establish whether the 1st Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Owusu indeed took some money from the Energy Minister, Boakye Kyerematen Agyarko and handed it over to the Minority Chief Whip, Hon. Mohammed Mubarak-Muntaka for it to be distributed to members, to influence his (Agyarko’s) approval by Parliament.

The Committee has within thirty (30) days to submit its report to the plenary for consideration and adoption.