The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has sued the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga.
This is the first case the Office is pursuing in court since its formation more than a year ago.
Mahama Ayariga is facing five counts of among other things, evasion of duties and taxes.
Joined to the suit is one Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car company.
According to the writ sighted by citinewsroom.com, “Mahama Ayariga aged 44 years in November 2017 at Tema in the Greater Accra Region did fraudulently evade customs duties and taxes by paying GHc6,062.86 instead of the approved duties and taxes of GHc36,597.15 to clear three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers.”
He is also accused of allegedly abusing his office as a public officer for his private benefit by “selling three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers with registration numbers GR 2220-18, GR 2221-18 and GR 2222-18 meant to be used for your official duties as a Member of Parliament to Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car at a price of GHc40,000 each.”
The Bawku Central MP is also among other things being accused by the Special Prosecutor of transferring “foreign exchange from Ghana through an unauthorised dealer contrary to sections 15(3) and 29(1) of the Foreign Exchange Act 2006, Act 723.”
Court orders MTN to produce Ayariga’s phone records
An Accra Circuit Court earlier in 2019 reportedly ordered Mobile Telecommunications Network (MTN) to produce the call records of a conversation between Mahama Ayariga and an officer of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
The Ghanaian Times Newspapers at the time reported that the court gave the order on January 22 at the request of the Special Prosecutor, Martin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu.
Mahama Ayariga subsequently said he will challenge the court order.
Chiefs, pastors plead for Mahama Ayariga
In August 2018, Mr Amidu reported the legislator to the Economic and Organised Crime Organisation (EOCO) for allegedly attempting to block his investigation on him.
Mr Amidu alleged that the Bawku Central MP had sent chiefs, pastors and opinion leaders to intercede on his behalf.
