General News of Friday, 6 November 2020

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Martin Amidu lacks balls to prosecute Mahama – Maurice Ampaw

Private legal practitioner lawyer Maurice Ampaw Private legal practitioner lawyer Maurice Ampaw

Maurice Ampaw, a private legal practitioner has opined that Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu is ‘scared’ of prosecuting former president John Dramani Mahama due to the possible backlash he could face.

Maurice Ampaw says that Amidu’s reasons for not prosecuting Mahama despite naming him as the Government Official 1 is untenable and erroneous.

“He should tell the part of the act that says that if you are an opposition leader, you can’t be investigated or prosecuted. There is nothing in the constitution and the Special Prosecutors act to support what he is doing. Martin Amidu does not have the balls to take Mahama on,” he asserted.

He also served notice of his intentions to petition the Attorney-General over Martin Amidu’s claim that he has decided to shelve his investigations of John Dramani Mahama due to his position as the presidential aspirant of the National Democratic Congress.

Maurice Ampaw says the 1992 constitution as well the act that establishes the Office of the Special Prosecutor does not make provisions for what Amidu is saying.

He described as unconstitutional and unfounded and said that the Board of the OSP and Attorney-General should bring Amidu to order.

“It is unconstitutional. The constitution provides that the only persons who can’t be tried are the president of the country. Amidu should come and tell us the part of the constitution that says that if you are a former president you get immunity. The issue about him being the leader of the NDC and elections is not in the constitution. He is not above the constitution.

“Mahama does not have insurance from prosecution so what is Amidu saying. The only person with insurance is the president. When you are a sitting president, the constitution says you can’t be taken to court, and within the three years of your exit as president you also have immunity,” Ampaw reiterated.

“I’m going to petition the Attorney-General. The Special Prosecutor comes under the Attorney-General so we will petition his boss. We will also petition the Board of Directors of the OSP. We need further explanations and prosecutions. We need investigations into the airbus scandal,” he protested.