Amidu turns down request to probe Mahama, Debrah over ‘suspicious’ Ghc40m BOST cash

- Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu, has turned down a request to investigate former president Mahama and his then Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah over alleged impropriety

- The request for a probe was turned down because the matter in question is already being investigated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office, EOCO

The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has decided to stay clear of the case involving former president John Mahama and his then-Chief of Staff Julius Debrah on an alleged transfer of Ghc40 million from the Bulk Oil Storage and Transportation Company Limited (BOST).

According to Accra-based Citi FM, the office of the Special Prosecutor has turned down the request to probe the pair for reasons that the said case is already being investigated by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

A group called the Centre for National Affairs had sent a petition to the Special Prosecutor to have the aforementioned duo investigated over their roles in the transfer.

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In their petition, the Center said over GHc40 million was transferred from BOST to the presidency between August 2015 and early January 2017 when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was in government.

“…letters covering the transfer suggests the transfer of funds is in respect of monies accrued from the security fees taken from Bulk Oil Distribution Companies (BDCs) invoices to effect payment on cost of petroleum products supplied by GOIL,” sections of the letter read.

The petitioners, therefore, called on the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, to investigate and possibly prosecute Mahama and Julius Debrah if found guilty.

“We wish to stand on provisions in the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), Section 3(1a and 1b), which empowers your office to investigate and prosecute alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), and any other relevant law involving public officers, politically exposed persons and persons in the private sector to call on your office to initiate an investigation into the said account.”

But it now appears that the group will not have their wish granted, as Mr. Amidu believes it would be inappropriate to interfere with case already in the hands of EOCO.

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Meanwhile, this is the latest in a series of alleged scandals that have hit BOST in recent years. Early this year, it emerged that about 600,000 litres of the company’s contaminated fuel had disappeared.

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Source: YEN.com.gh