Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, has dropped a suit filed against Mahama Ayariga, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, in which he is accused of exploiting public office for private gain.
Martin Amidu, the then-Special Prosecutor, started the case. Mr. Ayariga was accused of defrauding customs by paying GH6,062.86 instead of the approved duties and taxes of GH36,597.15 to pass three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers.
Mr. Ayariga was also accused of misusing his position as a public officer for personal gain by “selling three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers that were to be utilized for official duties as a Member of Parliament to Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car for GH40,000 each.”
He was also charged with exploiting his office for personal gain, as well as tax evasion, procurement breaches, and forex trading.
Mr. Agyebeng, however, entered a nolle prosequi in the case in his first appearance as Special Prosecutor on Monday, October 11, 2021.
According to the Special Prosecutor, his office wants to end the investigation since it has not been able to collect enough evidence to charge the MP.
“We wish to inform the court of the Republic’s intention to enter Nolle prosequi in respect of all cases against the accused persons,” the Special Prosecutor told the court.
In May 2021, the High Court acquitted and dismissed the Bawku Central MP in relation to the purchase of an ambulance for the Bawku Municipal Assembly.
Tried together with six others, the court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Botwe, acquitted and discharged them upon a no-case submission by the lawyers for the accused persons.
The Special Prosecutor filed two separate charges against Mr. Ayariga, one concerning the use of a parliamentary loan approved for the purchase of a V8 car for official usage, and the other involving an ambulance bought for the Bawku Municipal Assembly.
Mr. Ayariga went on trial in the second case with six (6) others: Hajia Hawa Ninchema, Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, Alex Vadze, Alhaji Abdul-Mumuni Jesewunde, Mary Stella Adapesa, and Mumuni Yakubu Nambe.
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