Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has described as unsatisfactory the report by the Joe Ghartey Committee on the bribery scandal which hit Parliament a couple of months ago.
The Joe Ghartey Committee's report concluded that Hon Mahama Ayariga's bribery allegations against the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko, were unfounded and baseless.
The report, which was laid before Parliament on Wednesday, recommended that Mr. Ayariga be reprimanded by the Speaker of the House in accordance with Section 35 of the Parliament Act 1965 (Act 300).
The report recommended that Mr. Ayariga apologizes to the House to purge him of contempt.
Addressing the issue on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, Mr. Pratt was dissatisfied with the Committee's work, in that he believes they hurriedly probed the case.
According to him, the Committee has not convinced Ghanaians and believes their work sends everyone back to "square one", because nothing has been established yet about the bribery scandal.
He asked the Committee if per their findings, they came across any CCTV footage that was claimed by MP for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, to show some persons exchanging monies in Parliament.
To him, the footage should be able to expose those complicit in the scandal.
He wondered why the Committee failed to show the CCTV footage to the public to ascertain the truth in the case.
Although the Committee's report indicated that they looked at the footage but for security reasons couldn't show it publicly, they however forwarded transcripts of the evidence they found on the footage to the Speaker of Parliament.
But the Senior Journalist insisted that the committee could have done a better job by being transparent with the general public.
“Nobody is asking for the workings of the security of Parliament. Nobody is asking for that. If they put the technicalities of how the CCTV operates and so on, it will compromise (security). All people want to see is the footage. Was money handed over on camera or was money not handed over as shown on camera?”
He further questioned the Committee on why it failed to probe other witnesses to the case, referring to Hon. Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, Sampson Ahi and Alhassan Suhuyini - all members of Parliament.
Mr. Pratt also noted that the Committee had indicated in its report that it used strict standards in criminal cases as part of its work to find the truth but queried why they refused to allow room from examinations-in-Chief and cross examinations.
To him, the Committee's work wasn't satisfactory because "the Committee told us that they’re in a hurry and because they’re in a haste to finish the case, they’re not going to call witnesses. There will be no cross examinations and Examinations-In-Chief. So, they should bring written memorandum....As at the time the Committee was asking for a written memorandum, the reason was haste.
“If you’re using strict standards in criminal cases, written memorandum is not enough because you need to have Examinations-In-Chief and you need to have cross examinations.”
He also sought answers on how the Committee could establish contempt of Parliament against Hon. Ayariga when its setup was to be fact-finding one.
In his view, it would have been appropriate if the verdict of contempt was established by the Privileges Committee of the House.
"How come that a fact-finding committee made a recommendation that Mahama Ayariga has committed contempt of Parliament and also suggested punitive action against him? How is that possible?” he quizzed.
Background
Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, who doubles as a member of the Parliamentary Appointments Committee (PAC), was heard on an Accra-based radio station 'Radio Gold' accusing the Energy Minister, Boakye Agyarko for allegedly offering the PAC bribes.
He alleged that the Energy Minister perhaps wanted to induce them with money, hence giving the Parliamentarians GHC 30000 each after his vetting before the Committee.
He further cited the Chairman of the PAC, Joe Osei-Owusu and Minority Chief Whip Mubarak Muntaka, also a member on the Committee, of serving as a conduit for the bribe offering.
Though the Minority Chief Whip and PAC Chairman both denied the allegations, the MP together with other Parliamentarians - Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Sampson Ahi, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye - attested to the allegation.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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SHAME UNTO YOU PRATT. WAF3RE. DID YOU HEAR ABOUT WHAT KWAKU BAAKO SAID ABOUT THE CCTV CAMERAS. IT IS VERY UNDERSTANDABLE TO ANY REASONING MIND EXCEPT PERHAPS PEOPLE OF YOU, PRATT CALIBER.
If a former minister,Lawyer and MP said if you say I should apologize I apologize,What does that mean?
Oh oh kwasi pratt elementary pupil wouldn't behave like himm. HE LACKS BRAINS thats the fack.
@Mends My take is that Kwasi Pratt's analysis of the report is flawed. Kwasi Pratt's view that the Committee is a fact finding one and therefore cannot make recommendations is wrong. In fact according to their terms of reference the Committee was right to make those recommendations. Kwasi Pratt dwelled so much on a non-existent CCTV evidence. Don't forget the Committee included two NDC MPs and is Pratt suggesting that they will just keep quiet on this evidence if it existed? The Committee invited other persons to submit evidence to them if they had any. So nothing stopped , Ahi, Suhuyini and Vanderpuje to do same. I also do not share your view that Ayariga is a smart lawyer. In what sense? Ayariga could not substantiate the allegation beyond hearsays. Ayariga has not done himself any favours. So as usual, 'vintage' Kwasi Pratt was just blowing hot air. No substance!
Can some give me the background of Mr K Pratt? Thanks
LOOK AT THE TYPE OF PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT AYARIGA OKODJATO ABLAKWA, SUHUYINI, SAM GEORGE, KWESI PRATT ALL OF THEM CONSTITUTING A BUNCH OF FELLOW WITH LOGICAL AND REASONING DEFICIENCY AND SHARP TEETH.
AYARIGA IS DISGRACE TO HIS BAWKU CONSTITUENCY. HE IS ILLOGICALLL, INSINCEREEE, IMATUREEEE AND CORRUPT. DURING PRESIDENT MILLS TIME HIS CORRUPTTT CHARACTER SURFACED IN HIS DUBIOUS TRACTOR DEALINGS. HE IS INSINCERE AND UNTRUTHFULLL. WHEN HE LOST BAWKU SEAT HE HIDE BEHIND A FARMER TO MADE A CASE OF DUAL CITIZENSHIP AGAINST THE THEN BAWKU MP FOR HIM TO LOSE THE SEAT. HE IS ILLOGICALLL AND IMATURE BECAUSE AS A PARLIAMENTARIAN WHO HAD THE OOPORTUNITY TO MAKE A CASE IN PARLIAMENT AGAINST A MINISTER SUBJECTED TO VETTING AND HIS COLLEAGUE PARLIAMENTARIANS, HE CHOSE A RADIO STATION TO MAKE A SERIOUS AND UNFOUNDED BRIBERY ALLEGATION TO IMPLICATE THEM. ALL THESE CHARACTERISTICS REVEAL ABOUT HIM THAT HE CAN NOT THINK RIGHT TO DESERVE THE ATTRIBUTE HONOURABLE WHICH WE USE TO ADDRESS OUR PARLIAMENTARIANS. THOUGH ONE CANNOT SAY THAT HIS DEFECTIVE CHARACTER REFLECT THAT OF THE PEOPLE OF HIS CONSTITUENCY HIS CONTINUING REMAINING IN PARLIAMENTARY INDICATE THAT THE PEOPLE OF HIS CONSTITUENCY HAS NO BETTER PERSON OF REASONABLE CONDUCT TO REPRESENT THEM OR THEY ARE HAPPY WITH AYARIGA AS THEIR TRUE REFLECTION
WHEN ANAS HITS PARLIAMENT ONE DAY, THOSE OF YOU WHO THINK PARLIAMENTARIANS ARE SAINTS SHOULD NOT COMMENT HERE. WHY ARE JOURNALIST, DOCTORS AND BUSINESSMEN LIVING THE WORK THEY ARE TRAINED AND HAVE THE COMPETENCE TO DO AND GO TO BECOME MPs.I GUESS THEY WANT TO SERVE GHANA.
Ayariga started the matter and he has ended it by his display of courage and firmness. Had he gone ahead and rendered an unqualified apology, everyone, particularly, the majority would have made a huge deal out of it. But now, who can fault him of being a liar. All parties in the issue claimed they never gave money or received money, so the only option for Ayariga was to also stand his ground and contest the report. Every wise person would do that.
when you have a corrupt parliament this is what happens. a ***barred word*** parliament indeed. how on earth a member of parliament would raise a very important issue and be asked to apologize. because of stupiiid appointments truth would be swept under the carpet. ndc and npp are all the same but rawlings decided to choose lesser of the two evils the grown ***barred word*** president who is only interested in the titile and not to govern is proving to ghanaians that a pot is pot no matter what