Former President John Agyekum Kufuor says he feels vindicated following the open admission before the Appointments Committee of Parliament by the Eastern Regional Minister designate, Victor Smith that a $5billion allegation against him was a complete fabrication.
Frank Agyekum, spokesperson for the former president stated that the inability of the Minister-designate to prove the allegations vindicates former President Kufuor of the lies that were published to dent his image.
�We feel vindicated that when we said it was not true, now it has come out that it is not true and he himself has said he has no basis,� he said.
Former Ambassador to Czech Republic, Mr. Smith, published in 2008 when he was the Managing Editor of the now defunct Weekly Standard newspaper that Mr Kufuor had been involved in a US$5 billion dubious oil deal in Kuwait.
But the former aide to ex President Jerry Rawlings was forced to eat humble pie when he appeared before the Appointments Committee for vetting and failed to substantiate the allegation.
Ambrose Dery, the deputy Minority Leader and MP for Lawra/Nandom decided to grill Mr. Smith on the allegation.
�Mr. Victor Smith, you made the publication that President Kufuor was involved in a $5 billion oil deal, can you prove this if you are put in the witness box today?� he asked.
However, Mr Smith in his response backtracked on the allegations and stated categorically that he had no proof of what he had earlier put out in the public domain.
�Mr. Chairman, as I sit here I cannot prove it...the information was given to me by somebody close to former President Kufuor at the time I was managing a newspaper,� he said.
When pushed further by Mr Dery to substantiate the allegations, Mr. Smith said �As a person, I cannot tell whether it is true or not.�
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