Mr. Kissi Adjabeng, the Special Prosecutor, has officially directed the closure of investigations into allegations of a bribery attempt involving a prominent and wealthy businessman and a section of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Majority Caucus.
The alleged bribery attempt aimed to influence the Majority Caucus's demand for the removal of Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta as Finance Minister.
In a report released on December 28, 2023, the Special Prosecutor disclosed that their intelligence confirmed a wealthy businessman's attempt to offer money to a section of the majority caucus, intending to influence their demand for Mr. Ofori-Atta's resignation or removal.
The report indicated that the monetary offer was rejected by the contacted Members of Parliament.
The report identified Mr. Andy Kwame Appiah-Kubi, the NPP Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, as the accuser and a key figure in resolving the case.
However, it expressed limited optimism regarding the utility of Mr. Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, NPP Majority Leader, and Leader of Government Business in Parliament, in this regard.
The report raised concerns about the responses from Mr Appiah-Kubi and another individual, suggesting a rehearsed and well-choreographed denial of the events described in Mr Appiah-Kubi's interview with Joy FM.
The report emphasized the necessity of the accuser's cooperation and testimony for a successful prosecution, stating that gathered intelligence and investigations alone were insufficient to sustain criminal charges.
According to the report, the institution of criminal proceedings would require the accuser's input, as the events transpired during a meeting between the accuser, undisclosed colleagues, and the suspect. The lack of a record of the meeting made the attendees' recounting essential for criminal charges to be sustained.
The report acknowledged the OSP's power to compel the accuser to testify as a witness through a subpoena but highlighted the limited information available without the accuser's cooperation.
The report expressed regret over Mr. Appiah-Kubi's refusal to cooperate with the investigation and disclose the identity of the suspect, considering his public accusations of attempted bribery.
The identity of the wealthy businessman at the centre of the investigations remains undisclosed, with the report heavily redacted to safeguard national security and protect the privacy of those involved.
The report's foundation lies in regulation 31(1)(g) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374), which mandates the OSP to publish detected acts of corruption based on received reports, documents, materials, complaints, allegations, information, and intelligence.