Special Prosecutor drops charges against Mahama Ayariga

Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has dropped all charges against Bawku Central MP Mahama Ayariga.

The Bawku Central legislator has been standing trial at an Accra High Court on allegations of using public funds for private use.

The charges were the first suit filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, led by Martin Amidu, shortly after his appointment.

Per the facts, the MP is alleged to have instigated and encouraged the purchase of the ambulance without following the procedure in the Public Procurement Act.

The Bawku Central MP maintained his innocence and insisted there was no case against him.

Mr Ayariga was charged together with six others, including the MCE for Bawku, Hajia  Ninchema.

The seven were facing seven counts of conspiracy, abetment, contravention of the procedure for request for quotation, using public office for profit and transfer of foreign exchange from Ghana through an unauthorised dealer.

But on Monday, October 11, the Special Prosecutor informed the court of its intention to drop all charges.

“We wish to inform the court of the republic’s intention to enter Nolle prosequi in respect of all cases against the accused person,” Mr Agyebeng said.

Nolle prosequi is a Latin term which means that there would be no prosecution and it is filed to terminate pending criminal proceedings against an accused person. When it is filed in a case or stated by the Attorney-General during court proceedings, the accused person is discharged by the court.

According to the Special Prosecutor, “it will be a complete waste of time if we were to open this case further and go to a length where it will only be dismissed on the submission of no case to answer,” Mr Agyebeng told journalists after proceedings on Monday.

The court presided over Justice Afia Serwah Asare-Botwe, after listening to the SP discharged the accused persons.

Counsel for the MP, Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe welcomed the decision, adding that his client had been vindicated.

Earlier in May 2021, the legislator was exonerated by the Accra High Court over alleged procurement infractions in the purchase of an ambulance.