Presby moderator names politician who tried bribing him

The outgoing Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Professor Emmanuel Martey has named the politician who attempted to bribe him with a $100,000, a V8 and a house at Trasacco to the leadership of the church.

Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the church, George Larbi revealed on Adom FM’s Morning Show, ‘Dwaso Nsem’ Wednesday that the outspoken moderator after being approached by the politician came to the office and narrated the whole issue to persons in his office.

“The Moderator told us in the office and even named the politician who brought the V8 and other gifts to him, the person is a known politician in Ghana…,” he revealed.

The Presbyterian Moderator who is exiting office at the end of November 2016 is in the news for claiming at a press conference that some politicians tried gagging him with an amount of $100,000, a V8 and a house at Trasacco.

“They wanted to bribe me with $100,000 with promises that if you keep quiet, we will give you a house at Trasacco with swimming pool. Four wheel drive [but] these people were lucky I did not have big dogs in my house else I would have released the dogs to bite them,” he said at the press conference.

The claim of the Moderator has been disputed by a former PRO of the church, Dr. Emmanuel Osei Acheampong who insists Prof Martey took the money and the vehicle offered by the politician.

“In July 28, 2013, around 8:15pm, he (Prof Martey) invited me to the office of one of the leading opposition parties not the ruling government, when I got there he had received the 100,000 dollars and a V8 he is claiming to have rejected. And he gave me 50,000 dollars, I am speaking on authority that he received the money,” he said on Kasapa FM.

However, the current PRO insisted that, the former PRO who was sacked was only attempting to throw dust into the eyes of the public on the personality of Prof Martey.

“I have worked with him for two years and I can boldly hit my chest to say that he is not someone who is corrupt and will fall for corrupt acts…his problem is that he is just not happy with some of the things that happen in the Ghanaian society…,” he said.

He therefore pleaded with ‘my brother’ who he said was still a member of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana to desist from misleading the public.

Asked if he can name the politician who approached Prof Martey with the gifts, George Larbi said he has not been mandated to come public with the name but was sure the Moderator would in due course name that notable politician who attempting gagging the man of God with the expensive gifts.

“He has not mandated me to come out with the name, if at certain times he wants to come public with the name, he would come out himself and publicly name the person,” he said.

On the leadership style of Prof Martey, George Larbi said the Man of God has never had problems with persons or political parties, but only concerned about how the country is governed.

The desire to see the best for the country, he said is what forces Prof Martey to openly come out and criticize the government.

“Professor Martey as a person doesn’t have problem with opposition parties and government in power…he simply has a problem with governance…,” he added.

Prof Martey, he added, does not only criticize the government in power but opposition parties as well when they go wrong.

“When Jake bought his bungalow, he condemned it, during NPP internal wrangling, he criticized that as well and when Mahama Adams died through an acid attack, he again lambasted the NPP, so why are not talking about that too?,” he quizzed.