Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has described the suit filed by the Special Prosecutor against Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Constituency Mahama Ayariga as petty.
According to him, the Office of the Special Prosecutor was set up to investigate “grand corruption” in order to allow existing anti-graft agencies to deal with “small” cases.
Lawyer Kpebu expressed this opinion on TV3/3FM’s The Key Points on Saturday, May 25.
His opinion comes in the wake of Martin Alamisi Amidu’s first case of corruption filed at an Accra High Court against tax evasion claims leveled against the former minister of state. Mr Ayariga is said to have paid GH¢6,062.86 instead of GH¢36,591.15 at the port for the importation of three second-hand Toyota Land Cruisers.
For Mr Kpebu, a case involving an amount of GH¢30,000 for the anti-corruption Office is too disappointing.
His comments, however, generated controversy with a New Patriotic Party (NPP) communications officer, Richard Ahiagbah, who was also on the show, arguing that cases of corruption – especially the one in point – should not be reduced to the amount involved.
For Mr Ahiagbah, a failed NPP General Secretary aspirant, the Office of Special Prosecutor was set up to fight a system, which many bodies have not been able to do.
But Mr Kpebu was intransigent.
“I still stand by it that [the money involved] is small. These matters must go to the police.”
He insisted that Mr Amidu must rather concentrate on “grand corruption”.
Source: 3news.com
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PEACEFMONLINE, THE WORD IN*TO*TO IS NOT A VULGAR WORD TO BE ERASED ANYTIME I USE IT. TO FAIL IN*TO*TO MEANS TO FAIL COMPLETELY. OK?
IN SUPPORT OF LAWYER KPEBU I WANT TO SAY THAT NOW I UNDERSTAND WHY SOME STUDENTS FAIL IN****barred word*** IN THEIR EXAMINATIONS. PASSING AN EXAMINATION REQUIRES 50% OF UNDERSTANDING THE QUESTION AND THE OTHER 50% IN ANSWERING THE QUETION. YOU ARE BEING CHASTISED (REBUKED/REPRIMANDED) JUST BECAUSE MOST READERS HAVE FAILED TO UNDERSTAND YOUR POINT. AS YOU RIGHTLY SAID THE SPECIAL PROSECUTIR (SP) HAS BEEN SET UP TO FIGHT GARGANTUAN CORRUPTION AND NOT PETY CORRUPTION. TAX AVOIDANCE IS NOT GARGANTUAN CORRUPTION BUT ONE OF INTELLIGENCE APPLICATION. THIS THEREFORE FALLS UNDER OTHER STATE AGENCIES ALREADY IN EXISTENCE TO FIGHT SUCH ILLS BEFORE THE INCEPTION OF THE SP. IT IS WASTE OF RESOURCES AND DUPLICATION OF ROLES FOR THE SP TO BE DELVING INTO SUCH PEANUT ISSUES AS COMPARED TO OTHER MAJOR ISSUES AS THAT OF COLLINS DAUDA IF ONLY THE ISSUE RAISED BY THE HOUSING MINISTER, ATTA KYEA IS TRUE. PEOPLE MUST LEARN TO READ INBETWEEN THE LINES AND NOT CONDEMN IGNORANTLY.
This Kpebu guy lack wisdom and common sense..... he is an ndc lawyer pretending to be neutral. Go to Nsawam prison and you will find inmates who stole cassava. Ayariga is a lawyer and an MP and must also face the law fully irrespective of the amount involved.
if im not exagerating,90 percent of ghanaian prisoners the crime ,they are involved with are less than 30.000 cedis and they find themselves in there.this lawyer is an insult to ghanaian people,where is his sence of thinking?people in prison for stealing cassava,dog,kusie,how much is it stuuuupid man like you,gyimiiii kwa from which family is this apongyi?
I suspect some of these guys have started abusing TRAMADOL. Otherwise, how could a normal person describe a 30K issue as petty? Today media people team up to support lawlessness and now hear this lawyer talking as if he is as rich as Bill Gates, to describe a potential 30K ***barred word*** as petty. Kpebu needs to be checked.
This one too be "Lawyer......trust me some president would come n elevat him to supreme court judge.......oh Ama Ghana, sorry wae!!
If 30k is petty to chase.....then stealing one goat would be describe us what? This so called independent private legal practitioners should stop selling their integrity cheap. I admired Mr.Kpebu very much but on this score he has lost my respect for good. I will turn my set off anytime I hear him speak before he poisons my kids, effective immediately. Shame Mr. Kpebu.
I used to admire you from afar but am taking it back! Can't the GH¢30,000 get beds for women and children at various hospitals who currently sleep on the floor?
It is really a disgrace and disheartening when a lawyer speaks like this. The man involved is a legislator, and he makes laws for society. If a legislator does not do what is right, then he has no business legislating for society. This lawyer will do good to himself if he does not arouse public anger with such comments. Is Ayariga better than those in prison who have committed less offences and are in prisons?
How much does a fowl cost, pick pockets are still jailed for stealing a mobile phone less than 1,000ghc. Papa Lawyer, what will you call these too? You have made politics to blind you.