The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng says his outfit has initiated steps to investigate circumstances leading to an unnamed businessman, described as wealthy, attempting to bribe some New Patriotic Party Members of Parliament to soften their demand for the dismissal of Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta.
This is contained in a half-year report issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
“The Office has triggered a liaison with the Office of the Speaker of Parliament in this regard,” the report revealed.
According to the OSP, the release of the report is in pursuance of section 3(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The 13-page report offers an insight into the corruption cases investigated and prosecuted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the highlights of activities undertaken by the Office between 1st August 2022 and 31 December 2022.
The report signed by the Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng listed cases that are being prosecuted, those concluded and ongoing investigations.
Among the ongoing cases under investigations is the alleged attempt by the unnamed and wealthy businessman to bribe the NPP MPs.
“The Office has commenced investigation into allegations of an attempt by an unnamed and wealthy businessman to bribe some members of the majority caucus of Parliament,” part of the report read.
This comes after the Majority Leader, Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonso revealed that an unnamed businessman visited Parliament house to mediate the impasse.
He explained that in the heat of the arguments in Parliament, the said businessman met some of the legislators.
“I’m told on authority that some businessman came here and tried to do something,” he told Evans Mensah.
The Suame MP insisted that it was meant to help persuade the members of the house against nudging the Minister out of office.
This assertion was confirmed by Mr. Andy Appiah-Kubi in a blow-by-blow narration of how the wealthy Ghanaian businessman attempted to influence the Majority Caucus to back off on their request.
His request was subsequently granted. According to Mr. Appiah-Kubi, during the meeting, the business tycoon tried to influence the MPs to rescind their request.
The lawmaker said he offered a ‘fat’ envelope which contained some undisclosed amount of money for the MPs to back off from their demand.
However, Mr. Appiah-Kubi noted that the MPs turned down the affluent man’s request and asked him to stay off the matter.
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng says he is poised to find out who the businessman is and take the necessary action.