The presidency has rejected allegations that it influenced the judgement that sent some two former ministers to jail for causing financial loss to the state.

The President’s press secretary, Mr. Andrew Awuni who rebuffed the allegations told newsmen in Accra that the allegations were "unfounded, false, subversive and criminal".

He was reacting to statements by one time Finance Ministry Director Dr. George Yankey on Joy FM that the judgement that sent him and others to jail was written from the Castle.

He claimed the judgement was written and given to the trial judge, the late Justice Kwame Afreh.

Dr. Yankey and two others were sentenced to various jail terms after they were found culpable in the quality grain company trial.

Mr. Awuni said the "Castle is not an extension of our respected judiciary. The Castle does not write judgements for judiciary and we do not, not even remotely, interfere with the work of judges”.

According to him, although several key members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) held press conferences on the judgement, none of them raised any issue about a judgement written in the Castle.

“It is important that it may appear convenient to tell tales about a dead man. Therefore Dr. Yankey has chosen this time to tell his tale. This is unacceptable", he said.

Mr. Awuni challenged Dr. Yankey to provide proof for his allegations, name those who wrote the judgement and where they wrote the judgement or forever hold his peace.

"The era when the executive interfered with all the other arms of government are over and Dr. Yankey and others should purge themselves of the nightmares of the past and get a grip of the reality of a new and truly democratic Ghana", he stated.

Responding to Mr. Awuni, Dr. Yankey told Joy News that he was standing by his story that the judgement was written from the Castle.

He said at the appropriate time he will tell the full story.


Story by Malik Abass Daabu