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Big politicians who ruined their careers through sex scandals in 2017

Not so many sex scandals especially involving Ghanaian politicians have been heard of within the year. However, one could recall some few ones in which some political figures have been mentioned and they expectedly denied vehemently. The scandals may not have completely damaged their images, but they are definitely incidents that Ghanaians will hardly forget.

The political atmosphere in Ghana for the year 2017 has been relatively decent. As usual there were some few propaganda and the use of other unsavory languages that characterizes partisan politics in almost every part of the globe.

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Not many sex scandals especially involving Ghanaian politicians have been heard of within the year.

However, one could recall some few ones in which some political figures have been mentioned and they expectedly denied vehemently. The scandals may not have completely damaged their images, but they are definitely incidents that Ghanaians will hardly forget.

For instance, the former Minister of Environment, Science Technology and Innovation, Mahama Ayariga was suspected of being the man spotted in a video released by a Chines illegal miner, Aisha Huang who is currently facing trial in Ghana for charges relating to illegal mining among others.

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The woman in question had sought to suggest that she had got the support of some big politicians in the illegal mining business and she had even had sex with them in return for their support for the illegal activities.

The Bawku central law maker was the minister in charge at the time the illegal mining and though in the video that went viral, the face of the man involved in the sex with Chinese woman did not show, many had suspected the former minister.

However, Mr. Mahama released a statement in which he denied vehemently all the allegations, saying “I have become aware of the circulation of a video on social media purportedly showing me engaged in a sexual intercourse with a lady of Asian origin.

“I categorically deny the mindless suggestion that I am the male actor in the video and all the inferences it draws.”

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In another sex related development, in October this year, a bipolar patient and advocate Nana Abena Korkor Addo alleged that some prominent journalists and politicians had had sex with her and paid her monies ranging between GH¢2000 and GH¢3,000 in return for the sexual satisfaction.

Abena Korkor mentioned the name of the National Youth Organiser of the New Patriotic Party, Sammy Awuku as one of the politicians who quenched their thirsts with her.

However, Mr. Awuku denied the allegation and rather described the young lady as mentally imbalanced and should not be taken seriously.

Moving a bit beyond the borders of Ghana, in south Africa, a 59-year-old mayor of Emfuleni, Simon Mofokeng resigned last month after it had emerged that he had been grooming a 15-year-old girl sexually.

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Mr. Mofokeng resigned following the scandal and police investigations into the matter subsequently revealed that he had invited the youngster to a private location to “make her happy.”

The reports added that Mr. Mofokeng first sent pictures of his private parts to the girl via the internet. “He then asked her for naked images of herself.

The former mayor uploaded 2GB data onto the girl’s cellphone to enable her to upload and send the images to him from her cellphone,” and she did.

Also, President of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Joseph Kabila was compelled to fire the Deputy Minister of Post, Telecommunications and Information Technology, after a video of him masturbating on webcam while on office duty went viral on the internet.

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Mr. Enock Ruberangabo Sebineza, 54-year-old deputy minister, filmed himself in his office, with the Congolese flag and the picture of the president behind him.

He was seen blowing kisses at someone in the webcam before bringing out his genitals from his trouser and masturbating. He then used a handkerchief to clean himself up.

After easing himself, he smiled at the camera and continued with his work in the office.

President Kabila apparently had no option left as Congolese citizens on social media reacted quickly to the video and created a hashtag #sebinezaMustGo calling on him to take action against the public official.

Though president Kabila fired the minister on the 30th of April, 2016, the news surprisingly went viral in 2017 rather.

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In US, an 88-year-old Democratic lawmaker, John Conyers from Michigan who happens to be the longest-serving member of the Congress was hospitalized as a result of what his political consultant, Sam Riddle referred to as "tremendous stress due to media hounding, and political vultures and serial accusers."

Conyers is one of several prominent US lawmakers facing allegations of sexual misconduct, as a wave of disclosures has felled prominent figures in media, entertainment and politics in the wake of the accusations targeting movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.

He and fellow democratic Senator, Al Franken of Minnesota were accused of touching and kissing several women without their consent.

Marion Brown, a former staffer under Conyers was just one of the many women made the scandalous allegations against the veteran law maker.

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She said "He just violated my body, he has touched me in different ways and it was very uncomfortable and very unprofessional."

The veteran is reported to have announced his retirement as a law maker in the congress following the controversies.

Still in the US, an Ohio law maker has resigned from Parliament after he was caught having sex with a man in his office.

Wes Goodman was obviously left with no option but to turn in his resignation, because of his conservative stance on issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT).

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The 33-year-old over the years has been popular for his bias against LGBT and was branded as the “conscience of the conservative movement.”

In his resignation letter, the Republican state legislator for Ohio apologized to the state and his constituents for not being able to serve them due to his misconduct.

“That has been true for me, and I sincerely regret that my actions and choices have kept me from serving my constituents and our state in a way that reflects the best ideals of public service.

“For those whom I have let down, I’m sorry. As I move onto the next chapter of my life, I sincerely ask for privacy for myself, my family, and my friends,” Mr. Goodman said.

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Also, former UK defence minister, Michael Fallon resigned after the Leader of the House of Commons Andrea Leadsom had accused him of making derogatory comments of a sexual nature to her and about other MPs, between 2010 and 2012.

Fallon apologized for touching a journalist's knee in 2002 and subsequently wrote a resignation letter in which he admitted that "I accept that in the past I have fallen below the high standards that we require of the armed forces that I have the honour to represent."

There may be other scandals, but crowning it all for the sake of this article is Former US President George Bush Senior who has apologized twice this year alone after his image was plagued with claims of sexual assaults against women.

First, actress Jordana Grolnick alleged that Mr. Bush had groped her in 2016 after announcing his favourite magician was "David Cop-a-Feel".

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Another actress, Heather Lind, had already come forward to say the former president had "touched me from behind".

Interestingly, Mr. Bush's spokesman said it was supposed to put people "at ease".

The spokesman said in a statement that, "At age 93, President Bush has been confined to a wheelchair for roughly five years, so his arm falls on the lower waist of people with whom he takes pictures."

Mr. Bush however rendered a generic apology to everybody he ma have offended, ostensibly to stop more claims from trickling in.

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