No evidence to support allegations againt Kufuor

... But, No testimony from key witness
Accra, May 4, GNA - The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Thursday stated that there was no evidence available to it to support allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against the President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor in respect of the acquisition of a Hotel located near his private residence at Airport Residential Area.

Presenting the Commission's Report of its preliminary investigations into the allegations made against the President by a section of the media, Ms Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner pointed out that, specifically, there was no evidence before CHRAJ to substantiate the allegations that the President acquired the Hotel and registered it in the name of his son, Mr John Addo Kufuor, also known as Chief Kufuor. Ms Bossman said there was no evidence that Chief Kufuor served as a front for the President, and that the President used National Security considerations and arm-twisting tactics to coerce Mr Anthony Saoud, previous owner of the hotel, to sell it to him.

She said there was no evidence before the Commission to show that Miss Gizelle Yazji, an expatriate, negotiated on behalf of President Kufuor and assisted him to acquire the hotel.
The Acting Commissioner, who was flanked by Mr Richard Quayson, Deputy Commissioner in charge of Anti-Corruption and Public Education, and Mr Charles Ayamdo, Deputy Director of Anti-Corruption, said there was no evidence that President Kufuor abused his office, or was guilty of improper conduct or improper influence.

Ms Bossman said evidence before the Commission showed that President Kufuor was neither involved in corruption in relation to the acquisition of the hotel, nor was he in breach of any constitutional provisions relating to conflict of interest.

She said in view of the foregoing, CHRAJ found it unnecessary to embark upon a full-scale enquiry into the allegations made against President Kufuor.

Giving the background of the investigations, Ms Bossman said in its March 14 to March 16, 2005 issue, "The National Democrat", a private newspaper, reported that President Kufuor had acquired a building located near his private residence in an area known as West Airport at the cost of three million dollars, which building was being constructed as a hotel.

Ms Bossman stated that "The National Democrat" alleged that the President, having acquired the Hotel, had registered it in the name of his son, Chief Kufuor.

The Acting CHRAJ Commissioner said the paper further alleged that Miss Yazji, assisted the President in acquiring the hotel, popularly known in media circles as "Hotel Kufuor".

She said another newspaper, the "Ghana Palaver", in its May 17 to May 19, 2005 issue, reported that the President's son had, in a press release, reacted to the allegations made against his father by "The National Democrat", which was posted on the Internet.

Ms Bossman said, according to "The Ghana Palaver, Chief Kufuor was reported to have stated that he was a shareholder in the Hotel, which was being financed by a consortium of banks.

She said the paper stated that Chief Kufuor further alleged that he asked Prudential Bank to act as lead bank in raising finance for the hotel, and that the hotel had been mortgaged to a number of banks. "The Ghana Palaver", the Acting Commissioner said also alleged that Chief Kufuor had stated that prior to his involvement in the acquisition of the Hotel, its previous owner, Mr Saoud had offered the property for sale to a number of Ghanaian investors without success and further denied that there had been any arm-twisting to force Mr Saoud to sell the Hotel as had been alleged in the media.

Ms Bossman also referred to two Frequency Modulation (FM) Stations, namely, Radio Gold and Joy, which she said also, reported on the "Hotel Kufuor" saga.

She said the FM stations granted phone interviews to Miss Yazji, who claimed to have personal knowledge of the transaction due to her close relationship with President Kufuor.

Ms Bossman stated that in the separate radio programmes, Miss Yazji alleged that she had indeed assisted in negotiations for the purchase of the Hotel on behalf of the President.

She alleged that she had had discussions with the President and had given him advice in this matter, including asking him how he would fund such a project, adding that the President discussed the purchase of the hotel with her on September 9 2001.

Touching on some of the observations and findings made from CHRAJ's investigations, Ms Bossman said Miss Yazji visited the President's private residence at the time when the Hotel, the subject matter of the controversy, was being offered for sale and met Chief Kufuor where they talked about the Hotel.

She said Miss Yazji took part in the negotiations for the purchase of the Hotel at least on two occasions, namely, at Mr Saoud's house and at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, adding that on both occasions, Chief Kufuor was present.

The Acting Commissioner stated that even though Miss Yazji took part in the negotiations for the purchase of the Hotel, at least on two occasions, the three critical people, who dealt with her, that is, Chief Kufuor, Mr Saoud and Mr David Henric Yeboah, Member of Parliament for Afigya-Sekyere East, could not agree on her role or who she represented. Ms Bossman said although the three persons, who dealt with Miss Yazji gave conflicting statements of her role in the purchase of the Hotel, none of them said that she negotiated for the purchase of the Hotel on behalf of the President.

"Miss Yazji had not provided any evidence to the Commission linking the President to the Hotel to substantiate her claims that she negotiated for the Hotel on behalf of the President", she stated.

Turning to the powers and functions of the Commission in relation to the media allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against President Kufuor, Ms Bossman stated that CHRAJ was established pursuant to Chapter 18 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate complaints of violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, administrative injustice, abuse of power, all instances of alleged or suspected corruption and misappropriation of monies by public officials. She stated that in Article 71 (2) of the Constitution, the President is specifically named among those offices or persons whose "salaries and allowances" are "charged on the Consolidated Fund", thus making him a holder of a "public office".

Ms Bossman pointed out that not only may the Commission lawfully investigate allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against a President; it also had power to require the President to submit to the processes before the Commission.

The Acting Commissioner stated, however, that CHRAJ shall not investigate a matter pending before a court or judicial tribunal, or a matter involving the relations or dealings between the Government and any other Government or an international organisation. She said the Commission also had no mandate to investigate a matter relating to the exercise of the President's "Prerogative of Mercy".

... But, No testimony from key witness
Accra, May 4, GNA - The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) on Thursday stated that there was no evidence available to it to support allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against the President, Mr John Agyekum Kufuor in respect of the acquisition of a Hotel located near his private residence at Airport Residential Area.

Presenting the Commission's Report of its preliminary investigations into the allegations made against the President by a section of the media, Ms Anna Bossman, Acting Commissioner pointed out that, specifically, there was no evidence before CHRAJ to substantiate the allegations that the President acquired the Hotel and registered it in the name of his son, Mr John Addo Kufuor, also known as Chief Kufuor. Ms Bossman said there was no evidence that Chief Kufuor served as a front for the President, and that the President used National Security considerations and arm-twisting tactics to coerce Mr Anthony Saoud, previous owner of the hotel, to sell it to him.

She said there was no evidence before the Commission to show that Miss Gizelle Yazji, an expatriate, negotiated on behalf of President Kufuor and assisted him to acquire the hotel.
The Acting Commissioner, who was flanked by Mr Richard Quayson, Deputy Commissioner in charge of Anti-Corruption and Public Education, and Mr Charles Ayamdo, Deputy Director of Anti-Corruption, said there was no evidence that President Kufuor abused his office, or was guilty of improper conduct or improper influence.

Ms Bossman said evidence before the Commission showed that President Kufuor was neither involved in corruption in relation to the acquisition of the hotel, nor was he in breach of any constitutional provisions relating to conflict of interest.

She said in view of the foregoing, CHRAJ found it unnecessary to embark upon a full-scale enquiry into the allegations made against President Kufuor.

Giving the background of the investigations, Ms Bossman said in its March 14 to March 16, 2005 issue, "The National Democrat", a private newspaper, reported that President Kufuor had acquired a building located near his private residence in an area known as West Airport at the cost of three million dollars, which building was being constructed as a hotel.

Ms Bossman stated that "The National Democrat" alleged that the President, having acquired the Hotel, had registered it in the name of his son, Chief Kufuor.

The Acting CHRAJ Commissioner said the paper further alleged that Miss Yazji, assisted the President in acquiring the hotel, popularly known in media circles as "Hotel Kufuor".

She said another newspaper, the "Ghana Palaver", in its May 17 to May 19, 2005 issue, reported that the President's son had, in a press release, reacted to the allegations made against his father by "The National Democrat", which was posted on the Internet.

Ms Bossman said, according to "The Ghana Palaver, Chief Kufuor was reported to have stated that he was a shareholder in the Hotel, which was being financed by a consortium of banks.

She said the paper stated that Chief Kufuor further alleged that he asked Prudential Bank to act as lead bank in raising finance for the hotel, and that the hotel had been mortgaged to a number of banks. "The Ghana Palaver", the Acting Commissioner said also alleged that Chief Kufuor had stated that prior to his involvement in the acquisition of the Hotel, its previous owner, Mr Saoud had offered the property for sale to a number of Ghanaian investors without success and further denied that there had been any arm-twisting to force Mr Saoud to sell the Hotel as had been alleged in the media.

Ms Bossman also referred to two Frequency Modulation (FM) Stations, namely, Radio Gold and Joy, which she said also, reported on the "Hotel Kufuor" saga.

She said the FM stations granted phone interviews to Miss Yazji, who claimed to have personal knowledge of the transaction due to her close relationship with President Kufuor.

Ms Bossman stated that in the separate radio programmes, Miss Yazji alleged that she had indeed assisted in negotiations for the purchase of the Hotel on behalf of the President.

She alleged that she had had discussions with the President and had given him advice in this matter, including asking him how he would fund such a project, adding that the President discussed the purchase of the hotel with her on September 9 2001.

Touching on some of the observations and findings made from CHRAJ's investigations, Ms Bossman said Miss Yazji visited the President's private residence at the time when the Hotel, the subject matter of the controversy, was being offered for sale and met Chief Kufuor where they talked about the Hotel.

She said Miss Yazji took part in the negotiations for the purchase of the Hotel at least on two occasions, namely, at Mr Saoud's house and at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, adding that on both occasions, Chief Kufuor was present.

The Acting Commissioner stated that even though Miss Yazji took part in the negotiations for the purchase of the Hotel, at least on two occasions, the three critical people, who dealt with her, that is, Chief Kufuor, Mr Saoud and Mr David Henric Yeboah, Member of Parliament for Afigya-Sekyere East, could not agree on her role or who she represented. Ms Bossman said although the three persons, who dealt with Miss Yazji gave conflicting statements of her role in the purchase of the Hotel, none of them said that she negotiated for the purchase of the Hotel on behalf of the President.

"Miss Yazji had not provided any evidence to the Commission linking the President to the Hotel to substantiate her claims that she negotiated for the Hotel on behalf of the President", she stated.

Turning to the powers and functions of the Commission in relation to the media allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against President Kufuor, Ms Bossman stated that CHRAJ was established pursuant to Chapter 18 of the 1992 Constitution to investigate complaints of violations of fundamental human rights and freedoms, administrative injustice, abuse of power, all instances of alleged or suspected corruption and misappropriation of monies by public officials. She stated that in Article 71 (2) of the Constitution, the President is specifically named among those offices or persons whose "salaries and allowances" are "charged on the Consolidated Fund", thus making him a holder of a "public office".

Ms Bossman pointed out that not only may the Commission lawfully investigate allegations of corruption and conflict of interest against a President; it also had power to require the President to submit to the processes before the Commission.

The Acting Commissioner stated, however, that CHRAJ shall not investigate a matter pending before a court or judicial tribunal, or a matter involving the relations or dealings between the Government and any other Government or an international organisation. She said the Commission also had no mandate to investigate a matter relating to the exercise of the President's "Prerogative of Mercy".