CHRAJ was soft in probing A-Plus corruption saga – Petitioners

The group that petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over corruption allegations made by Kwame Asare Obeng, aka A-Plus, against two presidential staffers, has expressed its disappointment with the Commission’s findings exonerating the two.

The group, calling itself the Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana, described the report as a “lame duck”.

[contextly_sidebar id=”iPU3slicZxoo9eN39X4D78AJtmgb0Ojy”]It said the report, which Citi News had earlier sighted, “was generally a ‘report’ of mere interviews with all parties involved.”

The group contended that, CHRAJ had “trivialized the importance of the captured conversation on CD ROM which in our opinion is the ‘NUCLEUS’ of our petition.”

The accusations had to do with the two, President Nana Akufo-Addo’s two Deputy Chiefs of Staff, Francis Asenso-Boakye and Abu Jinapor, pressuring the CEO of Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital to give back an on-site revenue-collection contract at the hospital to UniBank after the same contract had been terminated.

The CID’s initial investigation into the corruption claims were soiled by some controversy after an audio recording said to be a leaked recording of a conversation between the then-Deputy Director of the CID, ACP Maame Yaa Tiwaa Addo-Danquah and A-Plus, in which the police officer was heard urging A-Plus to deny the allegations in the intrest of the NPP.

Despite denials from ACP Addo-Danquah, observers noted that the audio compromised the integrity of the CID’s probe.

In relation to this, the Dynamic Youth Movement of Ghana also complained of the “pampering of Madam Tiwaa Addo Danquah and for that matter the Police throughout the investigations.”

“Article 219 (1a) clearly gives powers to CHRAJ to summon any individual to assist in investigations and also request any document relevant to any of its investigations. So why did CHRAJ handle the breach of its Powers with ‘soft gloves’? Why did CHRAJ hasten to conclude its investigations without having the full co-operation of the Police,” the group questioned.

It maintained that “the scientific validation of the Tape as captured on the CD Rom is the only means by which this allegation of thievery and corruption can be solved. Failure to subject the tape to empirical validation cannot be solid grounds to exonerate any of the accused persons.”

Find below the full statement

OFFICIAL REACTION OF THE DYNAMIC YOUTH MOVEMENT OF GHANA (DYMOG) TO THE INVESTIGATION REPORT OF CHRAJ DUBBED “IN THE MATTER OF DYNAMIC YOUTH MOVEMENT OF GHANA AND SAMUEL ABDULAI JINAPOR AND FRANCIS ASENSO-BOAKYE” AS RECEIVED ON 6^TH DECEMBER, 2017.

CHRAJ INVESTIGATIONS- ‘LAME-DUCK’ APPROACH!

1. Introduction:

DYMOG thanks the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for receiving our petition dated 29^th September, 2017.

The Movement is also grateful to all parties concerned for co-operating with CHRAJ to enable the investigations to be conducted.

It is important to note that, per the Report, CHRAJ has made the following admissions.

1. CHRAJ admits that the petition properly invokes its anti-corruption mandate. “(page 9)”
2. CHRAJ admits that even though the Police have conducted their own investigations and concluded on it, the Commission also has the Powers to make its own determinations of facts of the matter. (page 15, paragraph 5)
3. CHRAJ admits that, the Petitioners requested for a “scientific validation” of the CD Rom which captures the voice recording of Kwame Asare Obeng (A Plus) and DCOP Madam Tiwaa Addo Danquah is a matter for determination. “(page 12. 7(vi)”

1. General Observations:

Upon reading the 24-page Report, DYMOG makes three general observations;

1. The Report was generally a ‘report’ of mere interviews with all parties involved
2. CHRAJ has trivialized the importance of the captured conversation on CD ROM which in our opinion is the ‘NUCLEUS’ of our petition.
3. The ‘PAMPERING’ of Madam Tiwaa Addo Danquah for that matter the Police throughout the investigations.

1. OUR DISAGREEMENTS

DYMOG does not share the reasoning of CHRAJ on the following issues.

1. The object of CHRAJ does not include validating of Tapes. Article 218 (a) and (e) of the 1992 Constitution does not set any parameters in terms of modalities for conducting corruption related allegations. We believe that once the tape is heavily linked to this case, it lies within the mandate of CHRAJ to scientifically Test it.
2. Capacity of CHRAJ to Scientifically Validate Tapes. CHRAJ is an investigative Body ordained by Law. It has the Powers to investigate all Public officials including the President. It is heart breaking that, CHRAJ asserts it does not have the technology to validate the voices in the tape which is the Primary evidence of the Petitioners.
3. Failure of Police CID to release investigative reports. Article 219 (1a) clearly gives powers to CHRAJ to summon any individual to assist in investigations and also request any document relevant to any of its investigations. So why did CHRAJ handle the breach of its Powers with ‘soft gloves’? Why did CHRAJ hasten to conclude its investigations without having the full co-operation of the Police?
4. Conclusion:

DYMOG maintains that, the scientific validation of the Tape as captured on the CD Rom is the only means by which this allegation of thievery and corruption can be solved. Failure to subject the tape to empirical validation cannot be solid grounds to exonerate any of the accused persons.

This action by CHRAJ exposes mammoth loop holes in our desire to fight corruption. Laws and enthusiasm alone cannot fight corruption; scientific methodology is key.

This Investigation is a ‘Lame-Duck’!

Edward Tuttor

Executive Convener

Mobile: 0243402814

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana