Martin Kpebu clashes with Vincent Assafuah on TV over ORAL Committee

It was a heated moment on live TV when Lawyer Martin Kpebu, a key member of the ORAL committee and Vincent Ekow Assafuah, the Member of Parliament for Old Tafo constituency and Lawyer, clashed over the highly anticipated Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative.

ORAL, an anti-corruption initiative established by President-Elect John Dramani Mahama, is expected to address corruption-related cases and prosecute government appointees found guilty of being complicit in corrupt activities.

While many Ghanaians have welcomed the initiative and are hopeful for its success, others have raised concerns about it being weaponised to target certain individuals in the outgoing government, with some predicting its failure.

One of the critics is Vincent Assafuah, who has questioned the transparency and effectiveness of the committee.

Speaking as a panelist on the December 26, 2024 episode of TV3’s Key Points, Assafuah shared his concerns about how the committee, chaired by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, could expose itself to defamatory lawsuits in the future, alongside its modus operandi in reference to the NSS expose.

Questioning the credibility of the committee, Assafuah said the committee's approach of leveling baseless allegations against institutions and individuals without due recourse to legal processes suggests that ORAL is bound to fail.

He also expressed concern about how the committee is usurping the powers of state institutions.

“The committee is bound to fail because they are just doing politics with everything,” he said.

In contrast to Assafuah’s view, Martin Kpebu defended the committee’s mission, stating that it will promote accountability and help address corruption issues among public officials that state institutions have been unable to prosecute.

Read excerpts of their heated arguments below:

Assafuah: This is something that they have adopted. It is part of his [Ablakwa’s] presentation, and he is exposing innocent people with their pictures without conviction or prosecution. And I’m suggesting that in the event you fail...

Kpebu: They don’t deny them if there is [sic]. They went to court and failed miserably. What kind of analysis is this?

Assafuah: My law lecturer, please let me finish.

Kpebu: Whatever. They went to court, and the case collapsed, so which court are they going to now? Gifty Oware, look at that nonsense, and you are here supporting it.

Assafuah: I’m not supporting anything. You are a lawyer. Why do you hang people when they haven’t been prosecuted or convicted?

Kpebu: We don’t need the prosecution. We can name and shame based on the report.

Assafuah: Mr. Kpebu, stop this. What you guys are doing with the ORAL committee is a usurpation of state powers and institutions. The AG, EOCO, and the Special Prosecutor have every legal mandate to receive evidence and documents. This is part of the legal mandate of these state institutions, including the CID. Please, ORAL committee, what is your legal basis for usurping state institutions as far as their mandate and powers are concerned?

Watch the video below:



MAG/MA