The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has invited Deputy Minority Leader and Asokwa Member of Parliament, Patricia Appiagyei, to assist with a preliminary investigation into an alleged GH¢70,000 payment linked to the vetting of ministerial and Supreme Court nominees.
The invitation follows a purported memorandum circulating in the media, allegedly authored by Mrs Appiagyei and addressed to the Minority Chief Whip and Nsawam-Adoagyiri MP, Frank Annoh-Dompreh.
In the document, Mrs Appiagyei is alleged to have returned GH¢70,000 said to have been given to her as an advance from the Majority Chief Whip through the Minority Chief Whip in connection with the vetting of two ministerial nominees and three Supreme Court nominees.
The OSP said it had taken note of the document and was investigating its authenticity, as well as the source and purpose of the alleged funds.
“Given the constitutional importance of the Appointments Committee of Parliament and the need to safeguard the integrity of the vetting process,” the OSP said it had commenced a preliminary investigation into “the veracity of the document, the source of the alleged funds, and the purpose of the alleged funds.”
The Office said the contents of the purported memorandum suggested that Mrs Appiagyei had raised concerns about the source of the money and whether the circumstances surrounding the payment bore the hallmarks of extortion of nominees.
The OSP subsequently said it had “dispatched a communication inviting Hon. Patricia Appiagyei to attend the OSP and assist it with the preliminary investigation.”
The Office also disclosed that it “is actively investigating all extortion allegations involving Members of Parliament.”
However, the Second Deputy Minority Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has disputed the claim that Mrs Appiagyei returned GH¢70,000 allegedly given to her in connection with the vetting.
Speaking to Citi News, Mr Shaib described the circulating memorandum as fake.
He said Mrs Appiagyei herself had confirmed that she did not know the source of the document or who authored it.
The development has therefore raised questions about the authenticity of the purported memorandum and the circumstances surrounding the alleged GH¢70,000 payment.
The OSP’s preliminary investigation is expected to establish whether the document is genuine, determine the source and purpose of the alleged funds and clarify whether any wrongdoing occurred in relation to the vetting process.