PAC Moves To Drag Kumbuor Before C’tee

For Failing To Honour Summons,

For the umpteenth time, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Benjamin Kumbuor has refused to honour a subpoena by the Chairman of the Public Account Committee (PAC), Albert Kan Dapaah, as a witness to the circumstances that led to the payment of GH¢ 51 million judgment debt to self-confessed National Democratic Congress (NDC) bankroller, Alfred Agbesi Woyome.

Apart from his absence, the A-G has also blatantly refused to provide PAC with the necessary documentations to enable the Committee of Parliament investigate the case.

Dr. Kumbuor, in a letter to the committee yesterday, said the controversial judgment debt case was still in court and his appearance before the committee to discuss the same issue would prejudicial.

He had also refused to furnish the Committee with any document relating to the Gh¢51million judgment debt case hence making it difficult for PAC to deliberate over the issue.

Consequently, the Chairman of PAC yesterday hinted that he would write formally to the Speaker of Parliament, Joyce Bamford Addo, to take advantage of the standing order 105 (1)and (2), to deal with the A-G for refusing to either appear before the Committee or produce documents to aid the PAC continue with its investigations into the Woyome debacle.

According to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Effigya Sekyere, at the PAC hearing in Accra, he takes a strong exception to the Attorney General’s refusal to appear before the parliamentary committee that is fulfilling its constitutional mandate and described the Attorney General’s position as “unfortunate” and total “disregard” of the Committee’s work.

Kan Dapaah revealed that the Committee had long written the A-G to release some documents for the Committee to work with during its investigations, but the A-G turned a deaf ear to it only to yesterday, write to the Committee saying that he was unable to release the documents as it would be a subjudice, because the mater under referral was in court.

He however, expressed gratitude to the star witness, Mr. Woyome, for accepting to submit himself to the Committee “in spite of the views he holds.”

But as at the time of filing this report yesterday, our sources at Parliament revealed that Hon. Kan Dapaah had carried through with his threat-written to the Speaker of the house to compel the A-G appear before the committee.

The PAC chairman, according to our sources, is calling on the Speaker to cause the A-G to, on October 24, this year, appear or furnish the committee with all documents related to the case.

Please stay tuned for further developments…