Private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu is rallying support from members of the general public to present a petition to Parliament for Health Minister, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu to be tried for perjury.

Mr Kpebu says his decision stems from various revelations made during the probe into the Covid-19 Sputnik V vaccines procurement between the government and Messrs Al Maktoum by a nine-member Parliamentary Committee.

Speaking to the host of Newsfile, Samson Lardy Anyenini on Saturday, Mr Kpebu, insisted that action must be taken against the Health Minister.

“The contract he signed means that payment was to be made soon after the 20,000 vaccines were delivered so on what basis could the Minister go to Parliament to say that nothing has been paid? Is Al Maktoum Father Christmas that he will give you vaccines and not receive payment?

“That is why I believe we have to press the issue of perjury very hard because Agyeman-Manu is not leaving and they have to make the law bite. I want citizens to join me so that we will present a joint petition to Parliament so that he will be tried for perjury,” he said.

During the probe, Mr Agyeman-Manu told the committee that, "to the best of my knowledge, we haven't done any payment".

But a report from the Committee revealed that 50% of the contract sum had been paid by the government.  An amount of $2,850,000 out of $5,700,000 had been paid.

“The Committee is of the opinion that even if the situation in the country at the time the Agreement was signed was that of an emergency, due process of law should have been followed because Parliament would have treated the issue with the urgency it deserved and the appropriate action would have been taken accordingly.

"The Agreement would have been taken under certificate of urgency in accordance with the Standing Orders and the practices of the House,” the Committee added.

In view of this, Mr Kpebu wants the Health Minister to be tried for perjury in accordance with Parliament Act, 1965, (Act 300) and Article 122 on contempt of Parliament

“Article 122 on contempt of Parliament says an act or omission which obstructs or impedes Parliament in the performance of its functions is contempt,” he read.

“If a person lies under oath in Parliament, that should also be contempt of Parliament. You know obstruction of justice, if you go and lie it is perjury. You are obstructing it. If someone obstructs justice in Parliament, he has to face the law,” he reiterated.

The legal practitioner also reechoed his calls for Mr Agyeman Manu to be removed from office. He said the actions of the Minister continues to embarrass the country.

"He should have gone a long time ago. Even the report has made matters worse for him. Mr Agyeman-Manu is now embarrassing us as a country. It is as if he is our best talent for the job but we all know he is not. It appears that he doesn't understand public service."