$13milion E.O. Fund corruption alert: Mahama is incorruptible unlike Akufo-Addo, ready to face Martin Amidu.....

Former President John Mahama has denied claims that he diverted $13 million of E.O. Group funds meant for the development of the Western Region while he was vice-president.

The denial follows a petition filed by four private Ghanaian citizens at the Office of the Special Prosecutor, demanding that Mr Martin Amidu investigate Mr Mahama over the matter.

In the petition, dated 18 June 2018, the four: Emmanuel Owusu, Eric Dumenu Akatsi, Peprah Kyei Baffour and Dawda Eric, said: “We submit before your office, this petition to invoke section 3(1)(b) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act,2017(Act 959) to have former President John Dramani investigated for alleged diversion of $13m meant for the development of Western Region from the E.O. group of company as part of their corporate social responsibilities.

“The petitioners are citizens of the Republic of Ghana with the constitutional right to expose and combat crime in the interest of the good people of Ghana. The basis upon which this petition is brought to your office is as a result of an article published on Ghanaweb.com on the 2nd December 2016 by the longest-serving Deputy Attorney General of the Republic of Ghana in the person of Hon. Martin Alamisi Amidu.

“The said article alleged that former President John Dramani diverted $13m to private pockets when he served as Vice-President.”

It added: “We do consider the allegation against him as criminal and for that matter, we humbly beseech your office to have this matter investigated to get those monies retrieved back to the public purse. It is our conviction that, the issue be considered in the interest of the Republic of Ghana.”

Responding to the claim, Mr Mahama’s Special Aide, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, issued a statement saying: “The above is obviously another false and dubious claim”.

Furthermore, the statement added: “The said petition is another orchestrated but failed attempt by the NPP Government to divert attention from the numerous corruption scandals suffocating it”.

It said: “Former President Mahama, unlike President Nana Akufo-Addo, is incorruptible. He, therefore, welcomes the said petition and expects the Special Prosecutor, who the petitioners claim is the originator and source of the false and dubious claims, to expeditiously commence its work”.

“It actually makes a mockery of the Special Prosecutor that the surrogates of the NPP will cite as their evidence, an article they say was written by him. This is a man, who, during his public vetting before parliament, said the allegations he made against various people over the years, were based on perception.

“To suggest as the petition claims that a President can divert funds from a private company in the circumstances described is absurd”, the statement said.

Credit: ClassFMonline.com