Fresh evidence to prosecute Wereko-Brobbey, Mpiani emerges

Contrary to impressions being created by some sections of the media that the Professional Group is an NDC patronage, and that moves by AG's Department to pay $686, 000 to the group for investigative services are an attempt to share the spoils of government, facts indicate that the group is a professional body that has earned its fees.

Courtesy of the hard-nosed investigations of the Group, Government now has substantial evidence to prosecute suspects in the Ghana@5o corruption scandal, which had become un-prosecutable because of legal technicalities.

It is for the service delivery of independently digging up evidence to help the state pursue corrupt officials that the Group has earned its fees.

It would be recalled that in 2010, government released a white paper on the findings of a Presidential Commission that had recommended the prosecution of Kwadwo Okyere Mpiani, Chairman of the Ghana@50 Planning Committee, and Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana@50 Secretariat, for causing financial loss to the state.

However, because the issue had gone before a Presidential Commission ahead of its recommended prosecution before a High Court, the High court had declined jurisdiction since it would amount to double jeopardy-the Presidential Commission having sat with the powers of a High Court.

In the circumstances, government was left with no other choice but to look for evidence from anywhere else, apart from what came from the Presidential Commission, in order to prosecute the two NPP men who have all evidence tilting against them.

According to a deep throat, the evidence that has been furnished to the state by the Professional Group is so compelling that even though the state is naturally holding the case to its chest, members of the Professional Group at a point frequented the Justice Ministry to pester the Attorney General to go to court.

However, in the decision to hold on, the AG's explanation is said to be that it was necessary to postpone the prosecution because the proximity of the 2012 elections would create the impression that the government was attempting to Witch-hunt Kwadwo Mpiani and Wereko-Brobbey if it went to court.

Based on that decision, the AG has decided to prosecute the case after the 2012 general elections.

Unfortunately, without these facts, some newspapers rushed to town yesterday with the reportage that government was doling out the $686,000 to the Group after it had failed to achieve on a contract with government to bring out evidence that will support a 'witch-hunt' of Kwadwo Mpiani and Wereko-Brobbey.

Whiles some of the newspaper reports described the Group as “a shadowy NDC Group”, others claimed that the Group had not even delivered a report at the time that Deputy Attorney General, Ebo Barton-Oduro, had written to the Finance Minister.