Don’t take the glory in GYEEDA trial – Baako to NDC

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako has cautioned the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) against taking the glory in the GYEEDA trial that saw former CEO and party member Abuga Pele being jailed 6 years for causing financial loss to the state.

According to him, the NDC risks opening the floodgates for more critical examination as to what was left out in this particular case, when the members go out there and lift this case to vindicate ex-President John Mahama as a leader who strongly fought corruption.

Mr Apuga Pele was on Friday, February 23, jailed for willfully causing financial loss to the state, while businessman Philip Assibit was accused of defrauding by submitting false claims causing the country to lose GHC 4 million.

According to the trial judge, Justice Afia Serwaa Asare-Botwe, information from the world bank indicated that the first accused person in the GYEEDA trial, Philip Assibit did not secure any $65 million from the world bank.

The court said Assibit made a false representation by claiming a fee on no work done and found him guilty of defrauding by false pretence.

Pele was alleged to have recommended payment of the said amount to Assibit, with the explanation that Assibit had secured a $65 million facility from the World Bank for a Youth Enterprise Development Programme (YEDP), trained 250 youth as well as conducted tracer studies for an exit strategy for the said youth.

Justice Asare-Botwe said prosecution proved beyond doubt that the former GYEEDA coordinator, Abuga Pele was guilty of 2 counts of abetment to crime and willfully causing financial loss to the state.

Following Friday’s judgment some members of the NDC have taken to social media touting ex President Mahama as a leader who didn’t countenance corruption during his reign and demonstrated that by prosecuting one of his own appointees.

But commenting on the matter on News File on Joy FM Saturday, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako urged the NDC to hesitate in making noise with this GYEEDA trial.

“The missing link listening to Manasseh and I think it’s a very serious case, why I defer to him on this case is that he’s done the work than any of us has done and so he has deeper understanding and insight into those areas. It appears there are some missing links and if we’re talking about this particular case, the real missing link appears to be the former Minister (Clement Kofi Humado). I want to caution our friends in the NDC when they go out there and lift this particular one to vindicate somebody, they open the floodgates for more critical examination as to what was left out.”