A gift can be bribe and a bribe can be a gift - Lawyer Sosu

A Human Rights lawyer, Francis-Xavier Sosu has put up a defence for President John Dramani Mahama on the car gift given to him by a Burkinabe Contractor through Ghana’s Embassy in Burkina Faso.

According to the lawyer who is also a philanthropist, though a gift can be a bribe and a bribe can be a gift, he does not think there was any malice behind the car gift; thus there is no evidence showing that the gift was given to influence President Mahama for some government contracts.

On his Facebook Wall, the lawyer who double as former NDC Parliamentary aspirant for Madina Constituency wrote that though the Criminal Code (Amendment) Act, 2003 (Act 646) under Section 239 to 247 and the 1992 Constitution make bribery, corruption and extortion punishable offences, this corruption allegation only give room for political spins and twists.

He added that, legally, this corruption tag against President Mahama has no grounds to stand on as the call by some for impeachment is rather laughable and very misconceived.

Below Is the full text of lawyer Francis-Xavier Sosu, defending President Mahama:

"A gift was taken to Ghana's embassy in Burkina Faso to be given to the President. The gift was received and documented. A letter was written to the various directors (customs and revenue) for safe passage. The gift got to Accra, state Protocol received it and added to the fleet of cars at the Presidency. If this is a bribe then clearly John Dramani Mahama does not know how to take bribes."

Admittedly a gift can be a bribe and a bribe can be a gift. I don't think there is any malice behind this gift nor is there and evidence showing that the gift was given to influence the President for some government contracts.

Under our laws, Criminal Code, 1960 (Act 29) – THE CRIMINAL CODE (AMENDMENT) ACT, 2003 (ACT 646) under Sections 239 to 247; and the 1992 Constitution, bribery, corruption and extortion are punishable offences.

But quite frankly this allegation only give room for political spins and twists but legally it has no ground to stand on. The call by some for impeachment is rather laughable and very misconceived.

Truth be told... The position of the law is that a multitude of suspicion does not ground conviction.

Instead of casting insinuations and trying hard to dent the image of our President, please let's restrain ourselves and at least respect his sensibilities and mourn with him in this difficult time of loss of his mother.

As our leader serving the over 24million of us, this is the time for us to at least show our love and care and support instead on making and spinning this allegation which has no legal basis to stand.

?#?ProtectThePresidency?

?#?JusticeForAll?

?#?InjusticeToNone?.