Politics of Friday, 27 October 2023

Source: classfmonline.com

'They're just soiling my name' – Apasera denies stealing PNC's Toyota Landcruiser

David Apasera David Apasera

The 2020 flag bearer of the People's National Convention (PNC) has denied stealing a Toyota Landcruiser belonging to the party.

The party recently filed a complaint against Mr Apasera, with the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service, over an alleged stolen SUV with registration number GN 7506-20, bearing chassis number JTMHUO1J704197708.

The complaint is titled: 'Petition to investigate DVLA and cause the arrest of David Apasera for committing fraud in a case involving a Toyota Landcruiser vehicle – GN-7506-20, Chassis number TMHUO1J704197708'.

The petition, signed by General Secretary Janet Nabla, requested the CID's "intervention to cause the arrest of David Apasera for stealing a Toyota Landcruiser vehicle and changing the documentation of the vehicle to his name and also to investigate which DVLA office/official helped him to change the document to his name".

The party said: "The vehicle was given to the party by Dr Edward Mahama and later was given to David Apasera to facilitate his presidential campaign of the 2020 general elections as the then-presidential candidate of the party".

"At the end of the elections, he was supposed to return the vehicle back to the party, but he deliberately refused and the party lodged complaint with the Nima Police Station, the Greater [Accra] Regional Police Command and also the National CID Headquarters", the petition continued.

Later, the party said "the vehicle was intercepted by the party and the Cantonments Police came in and took our statements".

"Right in front of the Cantonments Police Commander Superintendent Priscilla Frimpong, David Apasera admitted receiving the car from the party through Dr Edward Mahama," the letter said.

It continued: "The matter was transferred to the Attorney General's office and later on we saw David Apasera driving the vehicle and when the party confronted the office of the Attorney General, we were told Apasera presented documents from DVLA in which the vehicle was registered in his name."

"We quickly presented documents of the vehicle to the Attorney General demanding the immediate arrest of David Apasera and also the retrieval of the vehicle.

"On the 16th of October, 2023, we received a response from the Attorney General that they have referred the case to the police for further investigations.

"Three party officers were sent to the Attorney General's office to verify which police station/office was this case referred to and the principal state attorney who wrote the letter said the Director General of the CID office.

"We are, therefore, writing this petition to the Director General of the CID to take this issue seriously and to allow the law to work. If an ordinary Ghanaian can go to prison for stealing foodstuff, then the same law should operate when a politician commits fraud", the party asserted.

It noted: "We have attached copies of relevant documents on the vehicle and letters from the police and the attorney General office for your attention. We reiterate that, David Apasera and Moses Daniba have been dismissed from the party since 2022 and are no longer members of the Peoples National Convention. We anticipate your usual cooperation and professionalism."

However, Mr Apasera has denied the allegation.

He said the General Secretary, who is leading the onslaught against him, has been suspended by the party but using all means to tarnish his image.

“This is a lady who told everybody that I stole 1.7 million of the party’s money. I am in the court now for defamation. The Good Lord will guide us all and the truth will be known," he recalled.

“It is a game plan and the game plan is to use every means to soil my name. I have risen from grassroot level to this level. From an assemblyman to this level. I have never stolen anything and I will never steal anything. Whatever is mine is mine and I am prepared for whatever it takes", he noted.

He added: "They know what they are saying and what they are doing. They know that they are telling lies. They are trying to tarnish my image."