Arnold Boateng writes: Is Gloria Akuffo setting up another Woyome prosecution fiasco?

Source: Ghana| Arnold Boateng
Date: 14-10-2019 Time: 04:10:55:pm
Arnold Boateng

Remember, in that prosecution, the key actors and the brains behind the scandal like Mrs Betty Mould Iddrisu and Ebow Barton Oduro were not prosecuted leading to the acquittal of Abgesi Woyome. In the instant case, it looks like we have a déjà vu. The brains behind the Capital Bank collapse would have the last laugh at the expense of Ghanaians.

The following questions are begging for answers:

1. Why is the Attorney General going after GHS100M instead of GHS610M the Bank of Ghana claim to have advanced to the then Capital Bank as liquidity support?

2. Why Ato Essien alone? Was the collapse of the Capital Bank solely attributable to the actions of Eto Essien, and not the entire Board and its Executive Chairman?

3. Is the GHS100m theft charge against Ato Essien related to the collapse of Capital Bank?

4. What happened to the GHS610m Bank of Ghana claimed it pumped into the Capital Bank?

5.  Was not the Board and its Executive Chairman responsible for its disbursement and subsequent “loss”?

6.      Why is the Attorney-General not going after the Board which superintended and guaranteed the use of funds?

It is my strongest conviction that the Attorney-General owes the whole nation an explanation for these nagging questions and obvious weaknesses in the much-publicized prosecution commenced by her.

Ghanaians are interested in securing the reported GHS610m to Capital Bank rather than just the mere alleged theft of GHS100m.

Is she setting up another Woyome-like criminal case as her predecessor, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong did, when she chose to prosecute only Woyome but left out Betty Mould, and Barton-Oduro just to secure the acquittal of Agbesi Woyome in that stinking scandal? Is this some sort of grandstanding act by her, ultimately intended to ridicule Ghanaians by securing the acquittal of Ato Essien, after the public jamboree and spectacle on the case against him?

The views expressed herein are my layman's views.

Trained legal minds have already raised serious doubts about the unlikelihood of proving the case of “theft” in court. One has gone as far as to state that the charges against Ato Essien and co are not even listed as criminal acts under the Banks and Speicalised Deposits Institutions Act of 2016 (Act 930).

I hope he is wrong. If he is right, then a political disaster and a huge embarrassment, courtesy of Gloria Akuffo, lie ahead of us as a Party! We should brace up for it.

In his well-choreographed interview with Paul Adom Otchere, Mr Ato Essien was a bit flamboyant, but he merely told his truth which was his right. It is now the duty of government to also tell us its truth. In an attempt by the government to tell its truth, the Attorney General need not forget about the bigger pie; that is the “mismanaged” or “missing” GHS610m and the brains behind it.

To do so will amount to a disservice to the nation and poor leadership on her part. It is vengeful. Power should not be abused in such a manner. The President needs to guard against his appointees using the power he has granted them to engage in activities which undermine his sworn oath of office and stultify the achievement of his objectives.

This prosecution seems more like a long shot in the dark by an ineffective and lame-duck Attorney General. It is a sad reflection on the overall government desire to plough back public funds and punish crime when we have such an Attorney-General in office.

NOTE: The Writer, Mr Arnold Boateng is the General Secretary of pressure group, AFAG. The above write up is his own thoughts and NOT that of AFAG.