Top men mentioned in alleged bribery of journalist

As the Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA) Ethics Committee prepared for its investigation into the allegation that a senior journalist had been bribed with $125,000 on Monday, the names of two top government officials were linked to the story.

The Hon Freddie Blay, first deputy Speaker of Parliament’s name was mentioned by Kwesi Pratt Jr., Editor of the Insight, on Metro TV’s newspaper review programme and government’s spokesman, Kwabena Agyepong, was mentioned by a journalist on GTV Breakfast show on Monday. And that was the first time the names were mentioned, exactly a week after the story broke out.

Pratt, commenting on the $125,000 bribery scandal alleged that one Jonathan Addo, a ranking official of the National Reform Party (NRP), had quoted Blay as putting the amount involved in the bribery at $200,000 instead of the $125,000 that was earlier put about.

He further told his audience that a similar statement was said to have been made on the GTV show by a journalist who stated that Kwabena Agyepong had confronted him, Pratt, about the money. Pratt, according to the report allegedly, told Mr Agyepong that the $125,000 was meant for investment purpose.

Pratt had therefore, challenged both Blay and Agyepong to publicly substantiate those statements. But both men denied ever commenting on the issue, in separate interviews with the Chronicle on Monday refusing to be dragged into the $125,000 saga.

Agyepong speaking on his cell phone, said that was a matter between the newspaper which published the article and those involved. He expressed shock by the association of his with the matter. “I do not know why my name should come up in this matter, I can’t understand, but I am trying to find out the reporter who said I said this. I have not spoken to any reporter, just leave me out,” Agyepong told the Chronicle reporter.

Like Agyepong, Blay expressed a little surprise not only at the mention of his name but also at the attitude of Pratt, saying it was a mere diversionary attempt by him to divert the allegation of having taken money.

“I don’t know who has accused him, but definitely I know Jonathan Addo,” he told Chronicle adding, “but I haven’t told him that I am aware that Kwesi Pratt has taken $200,000. I have not told him that,” Blay said.

“Let me be very frank with your,” Blay went on. “Addo had been to my house about three or four times. After this break of rumours that Kwesi Pratt had… and the discussion of that thing had come up and he commented on it and I commented on it. And we said well, it is a rumour that is going on and that was the end.”

Kwesi Pratt, Blay argued, is politicising the story and making it look as if it is a conspiracy to smear him with that allegation.

Meanwhile, a Joy FM news bulletin reported on Monday of busy speculations that the unnamed journalist could be Kwesi Pratt Jr. The story said the allegation of the $125,000 had also exposed the sharp division among many of the country’s senior journalists.

It said, while no names had been mentioned by the Accra Daily Mail which first published the story, subsequent reports, commentaries, radio discussions and rumours labelled Pratt as the man believed to have received the bribe. But Pratt has challenged the allegation and asked the Accra Mail to come out boldly to declare who the said journalist is.