'Malicious' prosecution of Opuni is to divert attention from NPP scandals – NDC

The filing of criminal charges against former COCOBOD chief executive Dr. Stephen Opuni and his impending prosecution is just to divert public attention from the scandals under Nana Akufo-Addo’s government, the National Democratic Congress. A statement signed and issued by General Secretary of NDC Johnson Asiedu Nketiah,  described as malicious, the said prosecution which is set to begin on Monday and will be a what some have said a curtain raiser for more prosecution some former officials under the NDC government. “This in turn derives from a desperate desire to justify the many malicious falsehoods told about Dr. Opuni in particular and the NDC government in general in the run up to the 2016 elections and its immediate aftermath,” it said. READ: Dr. Opuni, State prosecutors face-off in court monday over 27 charges It claimed all that the prosecution seeks to do is to divert attention from the public outrage that greeted three major corruption scandals that broke out under the Akufo-Addo government. “We refer to the GHS 23million oil corruption scandal at BOST, the GHS 28 million used car scandal at MASLOC and the nepotistic award of eleven contracts in a single day to a sister-in-law of the NLA CEO ” the statement indicated.

According to the NDC, the prosecution of Dr. Opuni is also to deliberately demonize him and prepare the grounds for the public to expect only one outcome after the trial. They accuse the NPP of adopting a populist approach towards the case against the former COCOBOD boss. The NDC further accused government of publishing charges levelled against Dr. Opuni at a time that the COCOBOD boss was not served. “It is our position that the publication of the charges even at a time when Dr Opuni and his counsel had not been informed of the development, runs contrary to decent and professional conduct and we condemn same in the strongest possible terms,” it stated The NDC said President Akufo-Addo’s fight against corruption is limited to the unjust pursuit and witch-hunt of political opponents, while turning a blind eye to massive corruption right under his nose by his appointees. The party further stated that the NDC as a party is not against the fight against corruption, but only condemn what they described as a scheme by the NPP to use malicious prosecutions of NDC functionaries to win electoral favour. This they alleged, is a ploy by the NPP to gain political points in the hope that a false notion of anti-corruption would form the basis of their re-election in 2020. It has meanwhile pledged to support their members who are treated unfairly under the NPP government. “We will take every reasonable step to assert the innocence of our members and insist on respect for their fundamental human rights.” The party further called for a fair and lawful treatment for all its members and an immediate end to what they termed ‘harassment’ from the various investigative bodies. By Irene Amesimeku| editors.3news.com| Ghana