The Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng, has discontinued a suit brought against the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, in which he is accused of using public office for private gain.
The case was started by the then Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu.
Mr. Ayariga was accused of fraudulently evading customs duties and taxes by paying GH¢6,062.86 instead of the approved duties and taxes of GH¢36,597.15 to clear three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers.
Mr. Ayariga was also accused of abusing his office as a public officer for his private benefit by “selling three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers which was to be used for official duties as a Member of Parliament to Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car at a price of GH¢40,000 each”.
He was also accused of using his office for private gain and with other charges bordering on tax offences, procurement breaches, and forex trading.
But in his first appearance as Special Prosecutor on Monday, October 11, 2021, Mr. Agyebeng entered a nolle prosequi in the matter.
According to the Special Prosecutor, his outfit wants to discontinue the case because it has been unable to gather enough evidence to prosecute the MP.
“We wish to inform the court of the Republic’s intention to enter Nolle prosequi in respect of all cases against the accused persons,” the Special Prosecutor told the court.
The High Court in May 2021 acquitted and discharged the Bawku Central MP in the matter of the purchase of an ambulance for the Bawku Municipal Assembly.
Tried together with six others, the court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwaa Botwe, acquitted and discharged them upon a no-case submission by the lawyers for the accused persons.
Background
The Special Prosecutor brought two different cases against the Mr. Ayariga; one involving the lawmaker’s use of a parliamentary loan approved for the purchase of a V8 vehicle for official use, and the other over an ambulance he purchased for the Bawku Municipal Assembly.
In the second case, Mr. Ayariga was standing trial together with six (6) others; Hajia Hawa Ninchema, Sumaila Ewuntomah Abudu, Alex Vadze, Alhaji Abdul-Mumuni Jesewunde, Mary Stella Adapesa and Mumuni Yakubu Nambe.
