Gov’t must prosecute Kofi Humado – Mark Assibey

General News of Tuesday, 3 March 2015

Source: citifmonline.com

Kofi Humado Speech

A Member of Parliament’s Finance Committee, Dr. Mark Assibey-Yeboah, is asking government to prosecute former Sports Minister, Clement Kofi Humado, for his role in the financial mismanagement that took place at the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA).

This comes on the back of the 2013 Attorney General’s report that indicts the Former Minister for failing to obtain enough evidence on the capacity and skills of 16 service providers it engaged before entering into an agreement to provide training services to targeted beneficiaries.

In an interview with Citi News, the New Juaben South MP called on the government to show commitment to fighting corruption by prosecuting Humado.

He believes calls for Humado’s dismissal are justified since the “Auditor General in the report said the Minister at the time and the Coordinator of the NYEP should be sanctioned.”

He said the report further indicated that the” Minister, even against the advice of the regional Coordinators of the programme, went ahead and signed the contract which caused the country to lose millions of cedis.”

Mr. Abuga Pele, who is also the Chiana-Paga MP is facing six counts of willfully causing financial loss to the state under Section 179A (3) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), to the tune of GH¢3,330,568.53; two counts of abetment under Sections 20(1) and 131(1) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) and one count of intentionally misapplying public property, contrary to Section 1(2) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 140).

Mr. Assibit, who is the first accused person, is also facing six counts of defrauding the state of an amount equivalent to $1,948,626.68 by false pretences, contrary to Section 131(1) of the Criminal and Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) and five counts of dishonestly causing loss to public property contrary to Section 2(1) of the Public Property Protection Act, 1977 (SMCD 1).

Last month, the Presiding judge, Justice Afia Asare Botwe adjourned the case to the 11th of March 2015 because state prosecutors told the court their next witness was out of town on an official assignment.

Justice Asare Botwe also gave strict instructions to the prosecutors to ensure they close their case by the 3rd of April 2015.