Kanawu Radio number 1 news portal
The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Madam Gloria Akufo has said Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu sought to create a false impression in his recent outburst about deliberate inaction in equipping his office, which was not in fact true, as he (Martin Amidu) was in the know of her effort together with the Chief of Staff to help get things done for him to start vigorous work.
In a Starr News interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com, the Attorney General said she is shocked by Amidu’s loudmouth nature and the series of interviews he’s been giving and what he has said publicly so far.
Mr Martin Amidu has been in the news lately literally crying about neglect and how he’s had to use his own “common sense” in the absence of a subsidiary legislation and resources, both cash and human to help him. He accused President Akufo-Addo of not whipping his appointees in line with his Anti-corruption vision as his work as Special Prosecutor is being frustrated.
In an interview monitored by MyNewsGh.com, Mr Amidu said he is watching and waiting, giving a deadline of June 2019 for himself.
“I have warned that if most of these things are not done by the middle of next year then this office may not be able to be seen to be doing its mandate, because by middle next year we are in an election year”, Mr Amidu said.
“I am saying this for the public to understand that we have set up an office. We have to organize that office, have the requisite personnel. It does not take one day. The law says 90 days after the assumption of office of the Special Prosecutor, pursuant legislation must be enacted, but as I speak today, I have no legislation so I use my common sense.” he added.
“The law says I can coordinate with other organizations so I coordinate with the Auditor General, I coordinate with EOCO, I coordinate with other anti-corruption agencies so as to find a way by which we can begin to work towards the ultimate end. I have warned that if most of these things are not done by the middle of this year then this office may not be able to be seen to be doing its mandate, because by middle next year we are in an election year. If I arrest someone, you will turn out and look at it; which party does he hold the insurance card for?” he said.
But the Attorney General, Gloria Akufo believes nothing could have been more dishonest on the part of Mr Amidu.
“I have held meetings with him [Amidu] that requires sharing ideas about the goings on in the banking industry, we have shared ideas about how we should go about investigating and prosecuting it, there’s no time that he had sought to speak with me that I haven’t spoken to him.”
“There’s no breakdown,” she refuted his claims passionately.
Regarding Mr Amidu’s concerns on lack of logistics, the attorney general said the process of resourcing Mr Amidu’s office is ongoing and he knows the stage they are on the issue, as all procurement stages must be followed to the latter.
“I can’t get up and go and buy machines and put in the place and for that reason the Chief of Staff has taken the responsibility to see to it that these things are done. So if you begin to speak like that, it is as though the impression has been created that I have been virulent in my duty to set up that office. I’m saying that’s not the case,” she said.
