I never stole EC's $6m 'bribe'; never bought 2 houses worth $3m – Kwakye Ofosu

A former Deputy Minister of Communication in the John Mahama administration, Felix Kwakye Ofosu has denied allegations that he pocketed some $6million meant to be given to some members of the Electoral Commission (EC).

He has also refuted allegations that he used the said money to purchase houses valued at $3million at East Legon.

There are claims that he received an amount of $12 million which was supposed to be given to EC officials during the 2016 elections but he kept half of the amount and gave the other half to the removed EC Chairperson Charlotte Osei, when he realised that the NDC was going to lose the elections.

However, Mr Kwakye Ofosu said in a statement on Saturday 30 June 2018 that he has noticed an audio in circulation on social media in which a Commissioner at the EC, Mrs. Pauline Dadzawa, is heard making the allegations.

He emphasised that “the claims made by Mrs Dadzawa are false, baseless and malicious and a figment of her obviously fertile imagination” and insisted that “at no time before, during or after the 2016 elections, was I given money by anyone for the purpose described by her”.

He has further served notice of his intentions to sue if the allegations are not retracted in the next few days.

“I am by this statement demanding an immediate retraction of the malicious claims by Mrs Dadzawa, failing which my lawyers have standing instructions to commence legal action against her and all others who spread the falsehood she peddled in the tape,” he noted.

Mr Kwakye Ofosu pointed out that he has not acquired any mansions as being alleged by his opponents. He said his critics are wrongly linking him to certain comments made by founder of the NDC that an official of the past government bought houses at East Legon at $3million shortly after the 2016 elections.

"I have also noted that some NPP (New Patriotic Party) activists, operating mostly from the Presidency, have splashed posts and pictures on social media that seek to use Mrs. Dadzawa’s falsehoods to justify yet another falsehood: that I was the subject of claims by former President Rawlings at this year’s June 4th event at Madina, that an official of the previous government had purchased two houses in Accra at $3 million.

"While acknowledging that Mr. Rawlings did not mention my name or attribute the said house purchase to me in his speech, I wish to state that I have not bought any houses of the sort described by Mr. Rawlings," he explained.

He has subsequently urged the public to disregard the allegations against him.

Below is the full statement :

June 30, 2018.

For immediate release

STATEMENT ON CLAIMS BY PAULINE DADZAWA IN AUDIO RECORDING

My attention has been drawn to an audio recording making the rounds, in which a Commissioner at the Electoral Commission of Ghana, Mrs. Pauline Dadzawa, is heard saying that I took $6 million out of a supposed $12 million meant to bribe some members of the Electoral Commission to influence the outcome of the 2016 elections.

For the avoidance of doubt, the claims made by Mrs. Dadzawa are false, baseless, malicious and a figment of her obviously fertile imagination. At no time before, during or after the 2016 elections, was I given money by anyone for the purpose described by her.

I find it regrettable that despite her standing as a high-ranking official of an important constitutional body like the Electoral Commission of Ghana, she found it necessary to dabble in such petty and mischievous gossip. In the process she threw out complete fabrications in a manner that does harm to the reputations of innocent persons.

I am by this statement demanding an immediate retraction of the malicious claims by Mrs. Dadzawa, failing which my lawyers have standing instructions to commence legal action against her and all others who spread the falsehood she peddled in the tape.

I have also noted that some NPP activists, operating mostly from the Presidency, have splashed posts and pictures on social media that seek to use Mrs. Dadzawa’s falsehoods to justify yet another falsehood: that I was the subject of claims by former President Rawlings at this year’s June 4th event at Madina, that an official of the previous government had purchased two houses in Accra at $3 million.

While acknowledging that Mr. Rawlings did not mention my name or attribute the said house purchase to me in his speech, I wish to state that I have not bought any houses of the sort described by Mr. Rawlings.

It is a well-known strategy of the New Patriotic party to routinely target critical opponents with calumny and outright untruths. It is the same strategy that informed their fabrication of NIA cards in the name of some members of the Minority only for the NIA to issue denials of same.

I therefore urge members of the public to completely disregard these falsehoods and not fall prey to the handiwork of state-sponsored fake news peddlers.

FELIX KWAKYE OFOSU

(Former Deputy Minister for Communication)