Kwabena Agyepong Shows Lack Of Principle

…Demands Peace From Afoko Saga

The suspended General Secretary of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), has exhibited lack of principle, as he appeal to the media to allow him a peaceful mind, after deliberately refusing to enter the witness box to give evidence in the Paul Afoko case against the NPP.

Kwabena Agyepong, who had earlier shown solidarity to the plight of the suspended NPP National Chairman, Paul Afoko, suddenly chickened out of the case, when he was called upon to give witness in favour of his comrade in the struggle to end corruption, lawlessness and misuse of funds in the NPP.
The man, who championed a powerful political party as opposed to an overbearing flagbearer, now prefers to remain quiet and will not want to be drawn into any political controversy.
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The media, has descended heavily on Mr. Agyepong, accusing him of betraying his bosom friend, the suspended National Chairman, after he failed to turn up in court to support his trusted buddy.http://ghanapoliticsonline.com

Mr. Agyepong, was billed to appear in court last Thursday as a prosecution witness for Mr. Afoko, but many who attended the hearing, were disappointed to learn that the former, had declined to attend the proceeding.

At the hearing, Mr. Afoko’s lawyers, told the court that, Mr. Agyepong, had indicated he was no longer available for that purpose.

But speaking to Accra-based Okay FM, his Spokesperson, Mujib Rahman stated emphatically that, Mr. Agyepong, never entered into any agreement with Mr. Afoko to serve as prosecution witness in the case involving the former, contesting his suspension by the NPP.

“We are surprised by the conduct of the media sometimes; since the issue happened I know for a fact that my boss never discussed with anyone that he’ll be a witness in court. If he had an agreement with someone in this regard, he would have been in court. If you have a case in court and you want me to be a witness for you, we’ll have to discuss that and for me to come to an agreement, but no such agreement was reached with Mr. Afoko. So when the media started reporting the media this way we were shocked

“In life at a certain stage, you have to go with your principle and take certain standing, in what way did Mr. Agyepong betray Afoko. Why are people still trying to muddy the waters for Mr. Agyepong? We think that where we’ve gotten what we should be thinking of is to move forward not to be still stuck in some of these unnecessary things.

“When this issue broke Kwabena Agyepong took a stance that he’ll not comment on the matter and he’s remained quiet on the matter for the past six months, I don’t see why people are trying to draw him into the media to talk, can’t he have his peace. We have an election and that is more important whether suspension or not we are all NPP members and at a certain point in time, we have to take certain decisions and move forward.”

I’m surprised my bosom friend Agyepong left me to my fate – Afoko
Paul Afoko, has said that he was surprised his comrade, Kwabena Agyapong, abandoned him in court as prosecution witness in his case with the party.
Afoko said, although there were signs written on the wall beforehand that, Agyepong, was likely to pull out, the embattled chairman said he was expecting that the former with time, would have considered to stay on as witness.

Mr. Agyepong was last Thursday expected to mount the witness box, but failed to appear as anticipated.

Lawyers of Mr. Afoko, told the court that the witness disclosed that he was no longer available for the purpose forcing his statement to be struck out and the presentation of Mr. Afoko’s witnesses closed.

In a reaction to the development in court yesterday, Spokesperson for Afoko, Nana Yaw Osei intimated on Anopa Kasapa on Kasapa 102.5 FM Friday that Afoko realized that there were indications of his colleague pulling out and that he knew it before yesterday.

“Mr. Agyepong offered to stand as a key witness on his own volition; nobody forced him to do that and so the question is what has motivated his decision to withdraw from the case now. This is where we begin to wonder and we say we’re surprised with his late actions,” Osei told host Fiifi Banson.

But Osei said Mr. Agyepong’s decision will not vary the legal course thus Mr. Afoko will pursue the case to the latter.

The NPP will be calling their witnesses beginning from June 24, 2016.

‘Agyepong’s no-show in court won’t weaken Afoko’s case’ –

Spokesperson Paul Afoko, Nana Yaw Osei, has said his boss’ case against the party would not be weakened merely because, Kwabena Agyepong, failed to appear in court as a witness.

According to him, his boss has moved on from the no-show in court. Mr. Agyepong, withdrew as a witness for Mr. Afoko, who is challenging his suspension from the party in court.

But according to Nana Yaw Osei, he would not waste time explaining Mr. Agyepong’s absence as the suspended General Secretary was not obligated to appear before the court.

Speaking on Eyewitness News, Mr. Osei said, “We will not waste time on somebody who has accepted to be witness and at the last minute refuses to be witness. Why would you waste time on explaining why he wouldn’t come?”

“Nobody can be compelled to be a witness to a party in a suit. Witnesses would have to freely accept that they will come and testify for you in court,” he added.

Mr. Osei further indicated that a pronouncement by Mr. Afoko’s lawyers in court, effectively meant they had moved on from Kwabena Agyepong’s no-show in court.

“By the announcement of the lawyers of Mr. Afoko that the plaintiff has closed his case, that meant they are moving on. So we moved on.”

Don’t place premium on Agyepong’s testimony

He further urged the media not to put premium on Mr. Agyepong’s witness statement saying, “We are saying the impression being created out there in the media that if Mr. Agyepong did to not come to testify for Mr Afoko, then that was the end of the Mr. Afoko’s matter; it is a misconception…
let’s not place so much premium on Mr. Agyepong’s witness statement.”

He further intimated that, Mr. Agyepong’s no-show was not necessarily a surprise to Mr. Afoko saying, “Because he [Afoko] knew that Mr. Agyepong was likely not to turn up, for him, it was okay. It was only those who were hearing that information for the first time who were surprised.”