General News of Thursday, 12 January 2012

Source: The Enquirer

Martin Amidu’s Lies Exposed

Mr. Martin A.B.K. Amidu, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has been caught waist deep in what will go down in history as lies of the century. Mr. Amidu has been caught on tape claiming that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Gbewaa Civil Engineering Limited, Alhaji Yakubu Kasule, tried to use top government officials and National Democratic Congress (NDC) bigwigs, among others, to lure him into signing documents to enable Alhaji Kasule to have his $6million paid to him.

The minister, after The Enquirer broke the story on his allegation against Alhaji Kasule, issued a press statement, denying ever speaking to the late Samuel Abane Anaba, the Enquirer’s Upper East Correspondent, on the said subject and more so making such allegations.

However, it has emerged from the tape that the A-G, indeed accused Alhaji Kasule of attempting to influence him to authorize the Ministry of Finance to pay him the $6million. Mr. Amidu’s lies that he never spoke to the late Anaba, was borne out of the fact that he was not aware that the conversation between him and Anaba had been recorded.

The A-G, in his statement, denied ever making such allegations, but on the tape he was heard telling the late Anaba that Alhaji Kasule went further to see some consultant medical doctors at Korle Bu to talk to him (Mr. Amidu). Mr. Amidu, who was not comfortable with the conversation with the Anaba, asked him “Are you recording me?”

The late Anaba told him that the volume of his phone was low and therefore he was adjusting it.

After that assurance from the late Anaba, Mr. Amidu said: “I don’t want to be in contempt but you are a younger brother.”

“Government people to come, I don’t want to mention names, some are from the Castle, others are party big people,” he said. The A-G was heard on the tape saying that he does not want to mention names because it was not good for the system.

“When I mention names it will destroy the system,” he said on the tape. “He has been to my office more than three times. Ask him whether it is true or not, if he has sent people to come and bribe,” he said. According to the A-G, it was a legal matter and all that Gbewaa was saying could be presented to court.

“I will not sign it so that I will be in trouble for causing financial loss,” he said on the tape.

“If it becomes necessary I will mention names. I don’t owe him and I don’t have anything with him,” he said.

When told by the late Anaba that the Ministry of Finance was at the final stages to pay Alhaji Kasule, but he (Mr. Amidu) wrote the ministry not to pay him, he said: “I have never written to anybody or asked anybody not to pay him.” The A-G has been in a tussle with Alhaji Kasule over the payment of $6million judgment debt.

The former A-G, Mrs. Betty Mould Iddrisu, settled the matter involving Gbewaa Civil Engineering Company Limited and other companies out of court. However, Mr. Amidu is alleged to have stopped the finance ministry from making the payment, an issue he (Mr. Amidu) has so far denied.