CHRAJ Ford Report -President Mahama has been vindicated – Tony Lithur

Solicitor for President Mahama, Tony Lithur has commended the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) for the manner in which it tackled complaints surrounding President John Mahama’s acceptance of a Ford Expedition SUV from Burkinabe Contractor Djibril Kanazoe.

The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has cleared President John Mahama of any wrongdoing in connection with the Ford Gift.

In a 78-page report, CHRAJ said its investigations concluded that the President’s action did not amount to accepting a bribe. This is because, upon evidence, the President submitted the Ford Expedition gift from the Burkinabe contractor, Mr Djibril Freres Kanazoe to the state.

CHRAJ, however, said Mr Mahama violated the Gift Policy under the Code of Conduct.

Responding to the report in a press statement on Thursday, Mr Tony Lithur said he and his client are hopeful that issues regarding the gift will now be put to rest.
play
Tony Lithur

“I acknowledge receipt of the report prepared by Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) dated September 29, 2016 in respect of complaints of conflict of interest and corruption lodged against my client by 3 different complainants,” he wrote in the statement.

“While I was always confident of my client’s innocence, the report throws more light on the circumstances surrounding the subject of the complaints, and demonstrates clearly to the people of Ghana that the accusations of conflict of interest and corruption variously made against my client by different people and entities in various fora, were wrong, without basis and unsupported by the facts,” he said.

Meanwhile, the leader of the CPP Youth League, Ernesto Yeboah has told Pulse.com.gh that the verdict by CHRAJ is rather unfortunate.

The group which is behind the petitions that triggered investigations by CHRAJ believes the president did not only violate the gift policy by accepting the ford vehicle as being cited in the report.

He said “the verdict leaves a very big question on the minds of any thinking person, I mean what happens to a president who fails to keep and uphold the gift policy for instance, so it’s not as if the president has been cleared of all wrongdoing, he violated a gift policy in the eyes of CHRAJ even though we believe it’s more than that.”

“It also bothers on conflict of interest and has something to do with corruption. Nonetheless, he has abused his office and the question for many Ghanaians is whether we can go out there hoping or thinking that we are going to vote for this man who has such a track record, certainly I don’t think that people will subject themselves to this kind of torture,” he added.

On the way forward, the CPP Youth League leader said he and his colleagues will go through the CHRAJ report and come out with an appropriate response.

“We seek to align with other civil society organisations for a much more loud advocacy that ensures that people who are seeking to occupy the high office of our land do not have such questionable track record like Mr Mahama,” Ernesto Yeboah said.