The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has decided to close its investigations into an alleged bribery scandal in Parliament involving an unnamed prominent businessman.
The probe, initiated in 2023, was centered on accusations made by Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim-North, Andy Appiah Kubi, who claimed that a wealthy individual attempted to bribe lawmakers to influence their stance on the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
The OSP’s decision to terminate the investigation was attributed to the non-cooperation of the main accuser, Andy Appiah Kubi.
According to a report by the OSP dated December 28, 2023, Appiah-Kubi’s refusal to cooperate and disclose the identity of the supposed suspect hindered the progress of the investigation.
Furthermore, Majority Leader Osei Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu, who also made a similar claim, denied direct knowledge of the matter during the probe.
The OSP expressed disappointment in Mr. Appiah-Kubi’s lack of cooperation, stating, “Mr. Appiah-Kubi’s refusal to cooperate with the investigation and his refusal to disclose the identity of the suspect are most regrettable.”
The report highlighted the paradox of a Member of Parliament publicly accusing an individual of attempted bribery but then refusing to actively participate in the investigation.
The initial allegations stemmed from claims that a wealthy businessman attempted to induce Majority Members of Parliament to withdraw their demands for the dismissal of Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
In 2022, Andy Appiah Kubi and over 50 New Patriotic Party (NPP) MPs called for the removal of the Finance Minister but softened their stance after a meeting with President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The OSP’s report acknowledged that there was evidence suggesting a wealthy businessman visited Parliament House in October 2022 and attempted to influence MPs. However, due to the lack of cooperation from the accuser and key witness, Mr. Appiah-Kubi, the OSP concluded that there was insufficient probative evidence to pursue criminal proceedings against the identified suspect.
Read the OSP’s report below:
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