The former Finance Minister Kwame Peprah has arrived home from his Sekondi Prison, whilst Victor Selormey, former Deputy Finance Minister remains on admission at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
He has been receiving treatment since December last year for a heart problem.
The two men were released on Thursday immediately after the announcement of a curtailment of their jail terms by the president. Although none of them have spoken to the press their lawyers say they are pleased that their sentences have been cancelled.
When Mr. Peprah?s lawyer, Nana Adjei Ampofo came to our studios on Friday, FRONTPAGE host Kwaku Sakyi-Addo asked him if the two gentlemen should be grateful to the President for the freedom they now enjoy.
?They have every reason to be grateful, they have no quarrel with the government, if they have any quarrel at all, the quarrel ought to be with the courts that imprison them.? He said.
?When the Attorney General at the time, Nana Akuffo Addo introduced the case I remember very well then as counsel for Nana Ato Dadzie, he said, I?ve put them before you my Lord, listen to the evidence, if you find them guilty convict them but if you find them non guilty acquit them, these were his words.? He said
Asked whether it was appropriate for the two to be called political prisoners, Nana Adjei Ampofo said ? in my view it wasn?t it was a matter of perception, those who believed that they were being politically harassed called it a political trial, I never called it a political trial, I thought that it was an ordinary trial and every trial is done on the authority of the Attorney General (AG) and as long as the AG remains a member of the government, the impression might be created that it was acting on behalf of government but I certainly would not call that trial a political trial.?
Quizzed on whether he would advise his client to write to thank the President, he said ? I would want to leave that judgement to them but I personally must say that I am exceedingly grateful to him for the remission he did because a day in Prison is so bad that if a person gives you half of it free he has done you a lot of favour.?
Selormey?s Woes Not Over As Pending Cases Continue
The former Deputy Finance Minister Victor Selormey still has a court case pending in which he and the Former Trade Minister under the NDC government Dan Abodakpui for what prosecutors described as the transfer of huge sums under a dubious contract to one Dr. Owusu Buadu in Texas USA.The two men are alleged to have transferred $400,000 to Dr. Owusu Buadu.
So with the remission granted Mr. Selormey ostensibly on health grounds, questions have been raised about what happens to the other fraud cases pending against him.
Interior Minister Papa Owusu-Ankomah whose term as Attorney General witnessed the commencement of Mr. Selormey?s prosecution said the cases will still go ahead.
? The case is still on course, as Attorney General closely follow the case he is free to address the stage and I am sure that very soon the court may deliver its judgement, well if Selormey is found guilty I believe that justice would take it course. But speaking for myself as Minister for the Interior, I would just say that we would obey orders of the court.? He said.
