Bawumia was unaware of Adu Boahen’s ‘reckless deals’ – OSP

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has wrapped up its investigation into corruption allegations against Charles Adu Boahen, the former Minister of State at the Finance Ministry. 

These claims originated from an investigative exposé produced by journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye P.I. agency.

In the exposé, named ‘Galamsey Economy’, the former minister suggested that Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia was instrumental in connecting investors and that a payment of US$200,000 was needed to facilitate a meeting.

However, according to the OSP’s findings, Dr. Bawumia was unaware of Adu Boahen’s actions.

“In the high political office he occupied, it ought reasonably to have occurred to Mr Adu Boahen that his bargain for twenty percent (20%) of the value of the proposed investment and his receipt of a cash gift of Forty Thousand United States dollars (US$40,000.00) from the supposed sheikh was outrightly improper.

“Mr. Adu Boahen exhibited a lack of sound judgment. His claim that he accepted the cash gift to avoid offending the supposed sheikh lies very thinly; and his suggestion of the payment of an appearance fee of Two Hundred Thousand United States dollars (US$200,000.00) to the Vice President was quite reckless – especially as the Vice President was unaware of the business he was conducting and had not tasked him to demand money of whatever description.”

The OSP also added that Adu Boahen displayed poor judgment, particularly given his high-ranking political position.

It noted that his acceptance of a cash gift and his negotiation for a percentage of the proposed investment value were clearly improper.

“Mr. Adu Boahen’s principal motivation was his own personal gain though he intimated to the supposed sheikh that he was driven by the potential developmental benefits to Ghana of the proposed investment.”

Despite these revelations, the OSP stated that it cannot prosecute Adu Boahen, as his actions fall under influence peddling, which does not directly align with the agency’s mandate for corruption-related offenses.

Background

On November 14, 2022, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo requested the OSP to investigate some allegations against Mr Adu Boahen contained in an investigative documentary titled ‘Galamsey Economy’ produced by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

According to Tiger Eye PI investigations, Mr Boahen told undercover journalists that Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia could be paid $200,000 as an appearance fee for investors.

He was subsequently dismissed by the President.

In a statement on November 16, 2022, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, said his office has promptly commenced an investigation into the actions of Mr Adu Boahen and any other implicated person and will publish its findings after a thorough investigation.

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