Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has alleged that President Akufo-Addo instructed the then-Attorney General, Gloria Akufo, not to file charges against Parliamentarians found to have received double salaries.

In his latest epistle dated Tuesday, May 25, the former Attorney General alleged that Madam Akuffo and Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa, after perusing the police docket came to the conclusion that some of the suspects should be charged.

“The credible information I received on the case is and was that the then-Attorney General and the Director of Public Prosecutions had both perused the case docket and had come to the conclusion that charges be filed against some of the suspects for prosecution.

"The Attorney General was instructed not to do so by the President who unconstitutionally usurped the investigatory and prosecutorial constitutional authority of the Attorney General on the grounds of political expediency of having the suspects agreeable to 'play ball' in Parliament for government.”

Double Salary saga

It emerged in 2018, that some MPs who served as Ministers in the Mahama administration allegedly received double salaries.

An audit report of the payroll data revealed some legislators, including Ellembelle MP, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, and former Kpone Katamanso MP, Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, received double salary.

The former Tamale Central MP, Inusah Fuseini; Ada MP, Comfort Doyoe Cudjoe-Ghansah and former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Eric Opoku were among those accused to appear before the police for prosecution. 

The police said the alleged action by the MPs “is contrary to Section 124 (1) of the Criminal and other Offences Act 1960 (Act 29), as amended in 2012, Act 849.  Section 124 relates to the offence of stealing”.

Media reports indicated that many Ministers, who served under former President John Mahama, took double salaries for four years, while others received double salaries for two and three years, probably because they were reshuffled.

In 2012, four of the ministers took double salaries and are currently not serving in Parliament, but by 2013 the double -salaried appointees had increased to 22, while in 2014 about 18 were said to be involved

In 2015 and 2016, 15 and 12 appointees took double salaries, respectively.

From 2012 to 2016 when the NDC was in office, some of the appointees were captured in all the data collated as having received double salaries.

The list showed that the appointees received double salaries at least once a month, while others received them monthly throughout the years.

Initially, 25 NDC MPs were said to have been invited by the CID, but the then-Minority in Parliament held a press conference to debunk the allegation.

Lame duck Amidu

Mr. Amidu claims there has been a reportage in some sections of the media alleging it was his failure to deal with the matter that has resulted in non-prosecution of the MPs.

But he insists that while in office, he never dealt with the double salary matter.