I was a private citizen when I acquired the state property – Jake

The Chairman of the New Patriotic Party has dismissed allegations he abused his office in acquiring a land which sited a bungalow he occupied as a minister of state.

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey said he was a private citizen when he put in an application to buy the state land he had occupied.

He was commenting on a Supreme Court decision which cleared him of conflict of interest and corruption charges leveled against him by two members of the NDC – Dr Omane Boamah and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa – when he attempted to buy the land in 2008.

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey told Joy News’ Dzifa Bampoh the court’s verdict is enough vindication after having “suffered, plundered, vilified and libeled” by the media for close to three and half years.

He said he “morally and correctly” took advantage of an opportunity to purchase the property as a private individual and has no regret for it.

“After living government I applied for one of these properties, lands that were up for redevelopment. I was not the only one; there were many people even including embassies, who were applying within the Accra redevelopment scheme.

“…I was a private citizen at the time; I was given the opportunity; I seized the opportunity; I paid the money I was supposed to pay- an equivalent of about $400,000,” he stated.

When asked if he was ready to develop the property after the court ruled on the case, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey was quick to answer; “of course.”

He said issues about morality do not come up because he was not a public officer at the time when the application was granted.

Jake Obetsebi Lamptey said it will be unfair if he will be asked not to purchase a property as a private individual, especially when he made sure that whilst in office no contract was given to company in which he had any private interest in.

But one of the plaintiffs and deputy Sports Minister Dr Edward Omane Boamah said it cannot be true that the land or bungalow in question was up for redevelopment, because the state renovated the said property prior to its occupation by Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.

He said he will do everything possible under the law to overturn the Supreme Court decision.