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Director of Communication for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP), Lawyer Yaw Buaben Asamoah has debunked the notion going round that he has asked for the prosecution after the resignation of Rockson Bukari, the Minister of State at the Presidency.

Minister of State at the Office of the President, Rockson Bukari resigned from his position, days after he was caught on a leaked tape attempting to bribe a journalist to ‘kill’ a story.

According to a statement from the presidency, Mr Bukari tendered in his resignation letter to President Akufo-Addo on Monday, 29th April, 2019.

His decision to resign, according to the statement was “in order not to allow the tape to disrupt the focus on government in delivering on its mandate”.

Rockson Bukari was caught on tape trying to prevent Starr FM Upper East regional correspondent from publishing a damning story against a Chinese mining company when he was the Upper East regional Minister.

Mr. Bukari tried bribing the journalist with GH¢5,000 cash in a brown envelope and a brand new motorbike to stop the story from going public.

The regional Minister was reassigned to the presidency when the story first made waves in 2018, but after it resurfaced about a week ago, Mr Bukari who failed to convince Ghanaians that he was trying to make peace and not bribe the journalist has resigned.

It has however been reported that the lawmaker for Adentan Constituency Hon. Yaw Buaben Asamoah commenting on the issue purportedly said the resigned Minister of State at the Presidency should be prosecuted for the offense.

Given the opportunity to confirm the allegation on Okay FM’s ‘Ade Akye Abia’ Morning Show, Hon. Yaw Buaben Asamoah debunked it but said that his prosecution will depend on evidence that the state prosecutor can gather against him in court.

“The media further asked me that some people are calling for his prosecution and then I responded that it will depend on evidence that the state prosecutors can gather against him and it is not the business of the President who has accepted his resignation to order for his prosecution,” he explained.

He stressed that “so those who protect us, if they make assessment to find evidence which they can use to prosecute him in court, I believe he [Bukari] also has every right to defend himself in court but I have heard some people say that I have asked for his prosecution”.

He however patted the back of Rockson Bukari for acknowledging in his resignation letter that President Akufo-Addo’s good heart in the fight against corruption cannot be disrupted with his mistake.

“I have a lot of respect for Rockson Bukari for acknowledging in his resignation letter that President Akufo-Addo is doing a good job with a good heart to lead the country and upon the admission that he has erred, going contrary to the conviction of the President in his fight against corruption," he stated.

He mentioned Rockson Bukari as one of the bigwigs in the NPP who has served this country very well in many capacities; adding that “he has used his life time, resources and body to serve both the party and the country and so he is not someone we should mock his downfall and make merry”.