Member of Parliament for Bawku Central Mahama Ayariga has said he’s unable to attend court on Tuesday June 4, 2019 for the hearing of a case filed against him by the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu.
The case in which Mahama Ayariga is facing five counts of among other things, evasion of duties and taxes, is the first case the Office is pursuing in court since its formation more than a year ago.
Joined to the suit is one Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car company.
According to the writ, “Mahama Ayariga aged 44 years in November 2017 at Tema in the Greater Accra Region did fraudulently evade customs duties and taxes by paying GH¢6,062.86 instead of the approved duties and taxes of GH¢36,597.15 to clear three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers.”
He is also accused of allegedly abusing his office as a public officer for his private benefit by “selling three Toyota V8 Land Cruisers with registration numbers GR 2220-18, GR 2221-18 and GR 2222-18 meant to be used for your official duties as a Member of Parliament to Kendrick Akwasi Marfo of ATLAS-Rent-A-Car at a price of GH¢40,000 each.”
The Bawku Central MP is also among other things being accused by the Special Prosecutor of transferring “foreign exchange from Ghana through an unauthorised dealer contrary to sections 15(3) and 29(1) of the Foreign Exchange Act 2006, Act 723.”
But the Legislator in a letter addressed to the Special Prosecutor, stated that he could appear in court any other day when Parliament is not sitting.
He added that constitutional right of a Member of Parliament to represent his or her constituency in Parliament and to participate in proceedings and vote will be breached if an effort is made to compel that person to respond to an invitation that would take the person out of Parliament at a period when the House is sitting.
The letter stated he’s not enthused about abandoning his Parliamentary duties in response to what he describes as inappropriate time of the invitation .
Mahama Ayariga stressed that any attempt by Martin Amidu to impede or obstruct his right to be in Parliament on June 4 and represent his people will amount to contempt of Parliament.
