OSP Probes Alleged GH¢70,000 Payment Over Parliamentary Vetting

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has commenced preliminary investigations into an alleged GH¢70,000 payment reportedly linked to the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees by Parliament’s Appointments Committee.

The investigation follows the circulation of a purported memorandum attributed to Asokwa MP and Deputy Minority Leader, Patricia Appiagyei, and addressed to Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.

According to the document, Mrs Appiagyei allegedly stated that she had returned GH¢70,000 presented to her as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip in connection with the activities of the Appointments Committee.

The OSP, in a statement issued on Friday, September 4, said the contents of the purported memorandum raised questions about the source and intended purpose of the money.

The office said it had therefore begun preliminary investigations to establish the authenticity of the document, determine the source of the alleged funds and ascertain their intended purpose.

Appiagyei Invited by OSP

As part of the inquiry, the OSP has invited Patricia Appiagyei to appear before investigators and assist with the investigation.

The office said the probe would also examine allegations of extortion involving Members of Parliament.

The development comes amid conflicting claims over the authenticity of the purported memorandum.

The Minority Caucus has disputed the document, with Second Deputy Minority Whip Jerry Ahmed Shaib reportedly describing it as fake and rejecting claims that Mrs Appiagyei returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her in connection with the vetting process.

The conflicting accounts have made establishing the authenticity of the document a central part of the OSP’s preliminary investigation.

Questions Over Vetting Payments

Earlier reports had suggested that Mrs Appiagyei rejected the alleged payment because she was uncertain about its source and did not want to personally benefit from the vetting of members of the Majority leadership.

The controversy has renewed scrutiny of the financial arrangements surrounding Parliament’s Appointments Committee and the conduct of lawmakers during the vetting of presidential nominees.

The Committee plays a constitutionally significant role in scrutinising nominees for ministerial positions and other high-level appointments, including nominees to the Supreme Court.

The allegations have consequently raised broader questions about whether members of the Committee receive money connected to the vetting process and, if so, the source and purpose of such payments.

Calls for Independent Inquiry

Separately, the Africa Centre for Parliamentary Affairs (ACEPA) has called for an independent investigation into the allegations.

Its Executive Director, Dr Rasheed Draman, has suggested that Parliament should establish whether such payments form part of a wider practice within its committees.

He has also proposed the establishment of an ad hoc committee, potentially supported by eminent Ghanaians with no direct interest in the matter, to examine the allegations.

For now, the OSP’s preliminary investigation is focused on three key issues: whether the purported memorandum is genuine, the source of the alleged GH¢70,000, and what the money was intended for.

Patricia Appiagyei is expected to assist investigators as the OSP works to establish the facts surrounding the disputed document and alleged payment.