Public officials who amass wealth must be probed when leaving office – Martin Kpebu

8 out of 10 Ghanaians are scared of reporting corruption, CDD

Public officials must appear before CHRAJ when leaving office

Law on unexplained wealth must be implemented – Martin Kpebu

Lawyer, Martin Kpebu, has stated that the unexplained wealth of public officials immediately they assume power must be probed.

He calls for the implementation of a law

Read full articlethat requires that they account for properties or wealth they acquire when they come into office.

The lawyer wants the automatic implementation of Article 286 (4) of the 1992 Constitution to help check corruption in the country.

“That is the heart of the matter that is the one we need to implement, unexplained wealth. Somebody comes into office and then overnight he’s building properties left, right, centre, by the time he’s leaving he’s amassed so much wealth.

“That is what we need to implement; that there will be a law to implement the 286, Clause 4 that, at the time you’re leaving office, you appear before CHRAJ automatically and explain all your wealth,” he said.

Continuing he stated that, the implementation of Article 286 (4) in a manner that it is activated automatically at the end of a public officer’s term of office, would be most beneficial to the anti-graft campaign.

Martin Kpebu said, when this law was implemented under President Kwame Nkrumah, it resulted in the accountability of public officials and Ministers thus should be adopted again.

“And then we’re saying that in our history when the Jiagge Commission sat, and history shows that people used to send evidence to the Commission in the night, they’ll go and push it under the doors, so the next morning by the time the commissioners and staff came, they would find envelopes that contain evidence that Mr. X upon becoming Minister built this house, bought this fresh car Bugatti, Lamborghini, you name them, and so investigate,” he said.

He however adds that, for the law to be highly effective Ghanaians should be able to boldly report corrupt officials and activities.

“You remember that the last time CDD, the last time I read something about this corruption fight, they said at least 8 out of 10 Ghanaians are scared of reporting corruption and other malfeasances against public officers.

“Most of our population are scared of reporting, so the only method or the more viable way of fighting corruption is that have a standing committee then people can send evidence surreptitiously,” he said.