Akufo-Addo’s comments on Amidu, Ayariga standoff 'improper' – Azeem

Anti-Corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem has said it was improper for President Akufo-Addo to wade into Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu’s, investigation of Mahama Ayariga.

Akufo-Addo Thursday commented on the investigation after it emerged that the Bawku Central lawmaker who is under probe on suspicion of commission of corruption and abusing his office by importing three Toyota Land Cruiser V8s into the country employed the services of pastors and chiefs to cajole the special prosecutor to discontinue the scrutiny of his transactions whilst in office.

“I can assure you also that under my watch as President of the Republic, the laws of this land will be applied to the latter and without recourse to the ethnic, religious or political affiliation of the person or persons involved.

“To those who are sending Chiefs and Men of God to the Special Prosecutor to intervene on their behalf to try and persuade Mr Martin Amidu from conducting his investigations, from the little I know about the man, they are engaging in a fruitless venture,” President Akufo-Addo said during his speech at the graduation parade of the Ghana Prisons Service Officer Cadet Course Intake 25.

However, in spite of his admission that the President can comment on the matter since it is not in the court, Azeem observed that it would be better if he had stayed off.

“…Being the President of the Republic of Ghana, I think he should have held onto that comment. He shouldn’t have made that comment at the time that the thing is yet to be investigated,” Azeem told Starr Today’s Atiewin Mbillah-Lawson

“It can influence the investigations because as we know EOCO is directly under the Attorney General, so when the President makes that comment people can suspect that the outcome will be influenced,” he added.