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EOCO impounds Mahama's vehicles
The MP is being investigated for the importation of the Landcruisers into the country through alleged corrupt means of three used white Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles.
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The vehicles were seized for allegedly importing them into the country.
The vehicles with registration numbers GR 2220-18, GR 2221-18, GR 2222-18, GT 2243(sic)-17 and GT 4054-13 are currently parked at the office EOCO.
He is alleged to use a Parliamentary Resolution dated April 7, 2017, contracting a facility of US$22, 500 between the Parliamentary Service and the Societe Generale Bank Ghana which was for the purchase of one brand new vehicle for the 275 MPs.
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The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has revealed attempts by Mahama Ayariga to stop an investigation into the suspected commission of corruption and corruption-related offences.
Martin Amidu in a statement accused the MP of sending some personal friends, former colleagues, chiefs, pastors among others, to beg him [Amidu] to stop the investigations against him.
He stated that as a result of these attempts, he has reported the Bawku Central MP to the Economic and Organized Crime Organization (EOCO) for attempting to block a probe into the acquisition of three used white Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles after refusing to honour an invitation by EOCO over the matter.
"After undertaking preliminary investigations into the suspected commission of corruption and corruption-related offences including the abuse of public office for private gain by the Honourable Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for the Bawku Central Constituency, my office decided that there were sufficient grounds to invite the suspect for the conduct of full investigations into the allegations," the statement said.
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"The preliminary investigations pertained to the importation into Ghana through corrupt means and corruption-related activities of three used white Toyota Land Cruiser V8 vehicles by using a Parliamentary Resolution dated 7th April 2017 contracting a facility of US$22, 500, 000.00 between the Parliamentary Service and the Societe Generale Bank (Ghana) which was for the purchase of one brand new official vehicle for each of the 275 Members of Parliament. Due to the fact that the investigations division of my office was in the process of being set up, I invited the Economic and Organised Crime Office to undertake a joint investigation of the suspected offences with my office, as permitted under our establishment enactments.
The suspect refused to report to the offices of EOCO in Accra as demanded by a publication at page 26 of the Daily Graphic of 20th June 2018 with vehicle numbers GR 2220-18, GR 2221-18, GR 2222-18, GT 2243 (sic)-17 and GT 4054-13. Consequently, it fell on me to write to the Speaker of Parliament with a copy to Honourable Mahama Ayariga (the suspect) in my letter dated 26th June 2018 to release the suspect to report to EOCO on 3rd July 2018.
When the suspect, Mahama Ayariga, received his copy of my letter to the Speaker he immediately started to get people he perceived could put pressure on me (such as personal friends, former colleagues, chiefs, men of God, etc.), to abate the investigations being conducted in the performance of my functions under Acts 959 and Act 804. I asked EOCO on a number of occasions to warn the suspect to desist from his conduct of obstructing the investigations by soliciting others to put pressure on me to abate same to no avail.
Amidu stressed that the country cannot fight the canker of corruption and corruption-related offences by expecting the Special Prosecutor to have regard to the personalities involved in the commission of corruption offences instead of treating every crime as crime without fear or favour, affection or ill will.
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