‘He called me for T&T’ - First prosecution witness testifies in Juaben MCE nominee case

The first prosecution witness in the trial of Alexander Sarfo Kantanka mounted the witness box at a Kumasi High Court on Thursday (October 20). Testifying before the court Simon Kwasi Agyei, the Assemblyman for Esaase in the Juaben Municipality, denied receiving a bribe to confirm the accused person as Municipal Chief Executive. “During a telephone conversation, Mr. Safo Katanka told me that my envelope is with one Omane, so I should see him for it. I sought to enquire about the content of the envelope but he said it was T&T”, he stated, as a defense lawyer was cross-examining him. “But in a nutshell, I did not take the money”, he added. He was later discharged by the presiding judge Priscilla Odikro Ofori. Mr. Sarfo Kantanka, who doubles as the Constituency Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party is facing 26 corruption charges after he was captured in a viral video demanding a refund of sums of money he allegedly paid to some assemblymen to confirm him as the MCE for the area. The Office of the Special Prosecutor is presenting at least five witnesses in this case. It has through its lawyers prayed the court to assist in fixing a whole week to hold the trial day-by-day, citing the risk associated with travelling long distances and reducing the cost of travelling. The court agreed to consider the request of the prosecutor on October 27, 2022. For the first time, the media was barred from covering proceedings for want of accreditation.

The first prosecution witness in the trial of Alexander Sarfo Kantanka mounted the witness box at a Kumasi High Court on Thursday (October 20). Testifying before the court Simon Kwasi Agyei, the Assemblyman for Esaase in the Juaben Municipality, denied receiving a bribe to confirm the accused person as Municipal Chief Executive. “During a telephone conversation, Mr. Safo Katanka told me that my envelope is with one Omane, so I should see him for it. I sought to enquire about the content of the envelope but he said it was T&T”, he stated, as a defense lawyer was cross-examining him. “But in a nutshell, I did not take the money”, he added. He was later discharged by the presiding judge Priscilla Odikro Ofori. Mr. Sarfo Kantanka, who doubles as the Constituency Chairman of the governing New Patriotic Party is facing 26 corruption charges after he was captured in a viral video demanding a refund of sums of money he allegedly paid to some assemblymen to confirm him as the MCE for the area. The Office of the Special Prosecutor is presenting at least five witnesses in this case. It has through its lawyers prayed the court to assist in fixing a whole week to hold the trial day-by-day, citing the risk associated with travelling long distances and reducing the cost of travelling. The court agreed to consider the request of the prosecutor on October 27, 2022. For the first time, the media was barred from covering proceedings for want of accreditation.