Charlotte Osei and two deputies must be prosecuted – AFAG tells Government

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) is calling on the government to prosecute the former Electoral Commissioner, Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Amadu Sulley and Georgina Opoku Amankwah to serve as a deterrent to other public office holders.

According to the group, “if corrupt public officials are merely fired for corruption, it serves no purpose to jail petty thieves.”

President Akufo-Addo on Thursday, June 28, 2016, removed from office the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputies, Mr Amadu Sulley and Mrs Georgina Opoku Amankwah with immediate effect.

A statement from the Presidency indicated that this was after the committee set up by the Chief Justice, Justice Sophia Akuffo, pursuant to Article 146(4) of the Constitution, to investigate separate complaints brought against the three persons by some Ghanaian citizens, recommended their removal from office.

The committee’s recommendation was on the basis of stated misbehaviour and incompetence pursuant to Article 146(1) of the 1992 constitution.

AFAG in a statement copied to GhanaWeb stated that “this move has been our long-standing call as a result of our position against corrupt public office holders.”

But the group added that the EC Chair and the deputies must be prosecuted if the allegations and counter allegations of corruption among them were established by the CJ's committee.

The group also welcomed and congratulated the President for the bold decision of sacking Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputy commissioners implicated in the Chief Justice's investigation.



Read below the full statement

PROSECUTE FIRED EC AND DEPUTIES

AFAG welcomes and congratulates the President for the bold decision of sacking Mrs Charlotte Osei and her two deputy commissioners implicated in the Chief Justice's investigation. This move has been our long-standing call as a result of our position against corrupt public office holders.

Although the electoral commissioner's posturing before, during and immediately after the elections were questionable, we consider the events leading to this investigation as God-given. This notwithstanding, we commend the boldness to which the EC staff defied all odds and stood up against incompetent management at the electoral commission.

Indeed, the accusation and counter-accusations among the commissioners showed that all wasn't well with the commission regarding teamwork, decision making and financial management.

It is in this regard that AFAG welcomes the recommendation of the court's committee and the decision to sack by the president. The rule of law has been upheld without considerations to who is before the judge.

This notwithstanding, AFAG demands from the government;

1. To make public the full report of the Chief Justice's investigation as a matter of transparency, to give confidence in the wisdom of the President's decision to fire, and above all to establish the basis of the sack.

2. Prosecute the EC Chair and the deputies if the allegations and counter allegations of corruption among them were established by the CJ's committee.

If indeed there is a basis to sack based on financial irregularities as we were made to know by the deputy EC commissioners, then we will want the courts to justify or otherwise make a declaration in this regard.

Simply put we want all persons implicated in any act of corruption to face the law. This will serve as a deterrent to other public office holders. AFAG has taken the position that if "corrupt" public officials are merely fired for corruption, it serves no purpose to jail petty thieves.

Signed

AFAG LEADERSHIP