Parliament will not shield indicted MP -Bagbin

Accra, June 13, GNA - Mr Albert S.K. Bagbin, Minority Leader in Parliament, on Wednesday called on the House to take a clear position on the charge of stealing that has been preferred against Augustine Asiedu, alias Nana Amoako, the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Upper Denkyira.

He noted that the indictment by the State of New York District Attorney was a blot on the Ghanaian Parliament and the integrity of the House, which should not be allowed to be brought into disrepute.

Mr Bagbin told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that if the indictment was found to be true, there would be nothing the House could do to cover up the member arguing that it would be difficult, except to release him to go through the process.

The New York State County District Attorney's Office has charged Nana Amoako and a colleague for stealing one million dollars belonging to a Brooklyn based limousine company he worked for before becoming a member of the Ghanaian Parliament.

Mahattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, said last Thursday that Augustine Asiedu and a colleague, Nick Zarbhanelian, allegedly stole the money from Brooklyn-based Fone-A-Car and two of its lenders from 2002 to 2005 and used the money to run for political office in Ghana.

Prosecutors were working with the U.S. Department of Justice to extradite Asiedu, also known as Nana Amoakoh.

Nana Amoako has been declared wanted in the US.

Mr. Bagbin said the issue was a serious matter that must be investigated by the Privileges Committee and answers found to the gaping questions that hover over the integrity of the MP and Parliament as a whole.

The Party leadership under Mr Peter Mac Manu, has debunked the charges, saying it could not be true.
Nana Amoako himself has kept a low profile on the matter since it broke, but has made it clear that he was not too concerned about it and would respond at the appropriate time through his lawyers.

Accra, June 13, GNA - Mr Albert S.K. Bagbin, Minority Leader in Parliament, on Wednesday called on the House to take a clear position on the charge of stealing that has been preferred against Augustine Asiedu, alias Nana Amoako, the New Patriotic Party Member of Parliament for Upper Denkyira.

He noted that the indictment by the State of New York District Attorney was a blot on the Ghanaian Parliament and the integrity of the House, which should not be allowed to be brought into disrepute.

Mr Bagbin told the Ghana News Agency in Accra that if the indictment was found to be true, there would be nothing the House could do to cover up the member arguing that it would be difficult, except to release him to go through the process.

The New York State County District Attorney's Office has charged Nana Amoako and a colleague for stealing one million dollars belonging to a Brooklyn based limousine company he worked for before becoming a member of the Ghanaian Parliament.

Mahattan District Attorney, Robert Morgenthau, said last Thursday that Augustine Asiedu and a colleague, Nick Zarbhanelian, allegedly stole the money from Brooklyn-based Fone-A-Car and two of its lenders from 2002 to 2005 and used the money to run for political office in Ghana.

Prosecutors were working with the U.S. Department of Justice to extradite Asiedu, also known as Nana Amoakoh.

Nana Amoako has been declared wanted in the US.

Mr. Bagbin said the issue was a serious matter that must be investigated by the Privileges Committee and answers found to the gaping questions that hover over the integrity of the MP and Parliament as a whole.

The Party leadership under Mr Peter Mac Manu, has debunked the charges, saying it could not be true.
Nana Amoako himself has kept a low profile on the matter since it broke, but has made it clear that he was not too concerned about it and would respond at the appropriate time through his lawyers.