The Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to conduct a thorough and expeditious investigation into an alleged memorandum purportedly written by the Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, concerning the GH¢70,000 she reportedly rejected.
He also urged the OSP to seek assistance from the Cyber Security Authority and other relevant law enforcement agencies to identify the person or persons responsible for creating and circulating the alleged false document.
A statement issued in Accra last Saturday and signed by the Director of Media Relations, David Sabastian Damoah, said the Speaker remained committed to transparency, accountability and the integrity of its processes, particularly the work of the Appointments Committee.
The document reportedly claimed that Mrs Appiagyei had returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her as an advance in connection with the vetting exercise.
Mrs Appiagyei has denied receiving or returning the alleged payment, describing the claims as false and the memorandum as fabricated.
The OSP has since commenced preliminary investigations to establish the veracity, source and circumstances surrounding the alleged payment and the disputed document.
It said the Speaker was of the view that those found culpable should, where the evidence warranted, be brought to account in accordance with the law.
The statement said Parliament was ready to provide the OSP and any other competent investigative authority with the necessary cooperation to establish the document’s authenticity and the circumstances surrounding its creation and circulation.
It acknowledged that the document and reports arising from it had generated considerable public interest.
“Parliament was also aware of subsequent reports in which the authenticity of the memorandum and the circumstances alleged in it had been categorically denied,” it said.
The Speaker said any allegation concerning payments allegedly connected with the work of a parliamentary committee, particularly the Appointments Committee, required proper scrutiny.
“Parliament views the matter with serious concern,” he said, indicating that of equal, if not greater, concern was the possibility that the document might have been fabricated and falsely attributed to an MP in circumstances capable of undermining public confidence in Parliament and its processes.
It stressed, however, that Parliament had not independently verified the authenticity of the memorandum and would therefore not, at this stage, make any determination on the competing claims.
The statement said if the investigation established that the memorandum was fabricated or falsely attributed to the Deputy Minority Leader, the matter should not end with that finding.
“The fabrication and deliberate circulation of documents purporting to emanate from members or offices of Parliament would constitute a serious assault on the integrity and reputation of the institution.
“Such conduct, if established, should, therefore, attract the full attention of the appropriate authorities,” it said.
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