The special prosecutor had claimed in several reports that the former minister of environment was given a self-recognizance bail after his invitation,
“Sources have told Graphic Online that as a matter of procedure of the OSP, persons of interest in investigations were either granted bail. The sources said after the interrogation on the same day, May 15, Prof. Frimpong–Boateng was granted self-recognizance bail in the sum of GH¢2 million”
but speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, Professor Frimpong Boateng said that wasn’t he wasn’t given a self-recognizance bail.
” I was asked to be bailed before I could leave, I was asked to write a statement and so, a friend of mine who was down there came up and bailed me and I was not even given the opportunity of a self-reconnaissance bail”
Recounting how he was arrested, Professor said he received a letter from the office of the special prosecutor to appear as a person of interest for corruption and corruption-related activities as Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining is under investigation.
“I was ushered into a room, sat down, and opposite me was a gentleman who was introduced as the chief investigator. My lawyers were there at my right-hand side, a few officers from the OSP’s office, and as soon as I sat down this investigator walked up to me, put his left hand on my right shoulder, and said you’re under arrest. What are my charges? they said there are no charges except that they are investigating corruption-related activities”
Commenting on the fight against galamsey, the Professor said it is the case of the obvious as the fight against Galamsey is in tatters.
“I mean everybody accepts it is not going well and I think that it will not go well because a lot of those involved from both sides of the party, the NPP and the NDC. Even in the best of times when the economy was a little bit better, people were depending upon illegal mining for income and now that things are not going very well and we are going into an election year, I don t see how there is going to be any headway in this fight against this illegality”
Professor Frimpong-Boateng was arrested by the OSP to answer questions about suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses in respect of the activities and expenditure of the dissolved IMCIM. He insisted that he did nothing wrong to warrant such action from the Special Prosecutor.
Story by; Bernice Elorm Kutsoke/Ahotoronline.com
