The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has written to South Dayi MP, Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor, demanding a litany of evidence to enable it probe named officials in the Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng report.
This follows a petition filed by the legislator asking the Commission to take up the matter.
The former Environment Minister, Prof. Frimpong-Boateng, has owned up to authoring the report on the activities of the dissolved Inter Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
This report was submitted to the Presidency but leaked on various media platforms this year sparking demands for investigations.
Currently, the Office of the Special Prosecutor and CHRAJ are the agencies investigating the matter.
Based on the petition, the Commissioner of CHRAJ, Joseph Whittal has written to the legislator demanding pieces of evidence including the following:
“-Evidence of damage to the forest reserves,
-evidence of seized excavators
-names and particulars of the said big men and nature of their communications
-evidence of mining operations being undertaken by Mr. Charles Owusu
-evidence showing that the said Mr. Charles Owusu was mining without a permit
-evidence of the destruction caused to forests, farm lands, water bodies and the entire biodiversity by the said Mr. Charles Owusu
-evidence of several dozens of large scale concessions being held by the Hon. Joseph Albert Quarm, the former MP for Mandi Nkwanta
-names and particulars of private persons and party members to whom these concessions were sold to
-evidence showing that the concessions were sold for two hundred thousand cedis”.
But lawyers for the legislator, led by Nii Kpakpo Samoa Addo, have written to CHRAJ insisting that Prof Frimpong-Boateng who authored the said report is best placed to provide the evidence being requested.
“Prof Kwabena Frimpong Boateng is better placed to provide evidence of allegations cited in his report which my client seeks to draw your attention to as a subject matter for investigations by your good office”.
The lawyers argue that CHRAJ has a duty to investigate alleged corrupt practices, conflict of interest and abuse of office, hence the petition.
“Our client has discharged his duty as a concerned citizen by petitioning your good office to take the appropriate steps to investigate the allegations contained in the IMCIM report as mandated by the 1992 constitution.
“It is the prayer of our client that your good office engages Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng who authored the IMCIM report to assist with investigations into the damning allegations made therein for which you seek further and better particulars”.