I never bribed Judges through Otumfuo - Mahama

President John Mahama has described as a “lie”, a recent media publication that claimed that Asante monarch, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, brokered a bribery deal between him (Mr. Mahama) and two of the nine Justices of the Supreme Court, who sat on the recently-determined election petition case.

The New Free Press online story alleged that two of the Justices were each given US$5 million to vote in favour of President Mahama in the final verdict of the apex court.

The story claimed Otumfuo Osei Tutu II intervened to broker the alleged bribery deal after he was tipped that two of the Justices were wavering in their decision over the pleadings of the petitioners on the day of judgment.

The Manhyia Palace has taken strong exception to the allegation.

It denied it flatly and referred the matter to the National Media Commission for investigations and appropriate punishment.

The office of the online newspaper has, however, not been traced yet.

Speaking at a thanksgiving service at the Cedar Mountain Chapel in Accra, President John Mahama said: “I mean look at the recent lie that somehow Otumfuo was the conduit for passing bribes to the Judges and now you can’t hold anybody responsible because somebody did it online”.

He urged the media to be responsible in their reportage and help build rather than plunge the country into mayhem with unprofessional conduct.