EC Boss Probe – It has not been a pleasant season for Chairperson of the Electoral Commission Charlotte Osei who is currently facing probe into alleged acts of malfeasance by her and two deputies at the Commission.
See Also: EC Boss At Loggerheads With Principal Officers Over Impeachment Agitations
Charlotte Osei has called on the Chief Justice committee probing her and her two deputies to provide her with a copy of the petition seeking her removal.
Ms Osei says that even though she has cooperated with the committee over the alleged issues plaguing the commission, she is yet to receive a copy of the specific allegations being made against her by her staff.
Agitations had emerged from employees of the electoral commission who were calling for the impeachment of the EC boss on grounds of a breach of Procurement Law. [Read Full Story]
In a six-page document six paged document, the employees alleged among other things, that Madam Osei singularly acquired a V8 Land Cruiser and awarded million dollar contracts without recourse to the laid down administrative structures.
Following the escalating controversy which ensued, the Chief Justice, Sophia Akuffo set up a committee to look into the alleged abuse of power and corruption scandals that have rocked the EC.
The five-member committee was expected to investigate the EC Chairperson, Charlotte Osei, together with her two deputies – Georgina Opoku-Amankwah, who is in charge of Corporate Services and Amadu Sulley, in charge of Operations – as prescribed under Article 146 of the 1992 constitution.
The committee, to be presided over by a Supreme Court Judge, had two other Court of Appeal judges (male and female), as well as two other members nominated by the Council of State (female and male) as its membership.
Charlotte Osei alongside her two deputies, Amadu Sulley (in charge of Operations), and Georgina Amankwa (in charge of Corporate Services), were to face a probe after all three top EC officials appeared individually before the Chief Justice in the company of their lawyers, at the office of the Judicial Service located at the Supreme Court on Monday, December 11.
To enable her face the hearing, the Chief Justice and the Judicial Council may recommend to the President Nana Addo, the suspension of the EC Chair from her position.
Though this is yet to take effect, some stakeholders have suggested that Charlotte Osei could remain in her position while the EC boss probe is conducted into the allegations.
Private legal practitioner, Yaw Oppong, said that unless it is established that her continued stay in office would compromise the investigations, Charlotte Osei could be allowed to remain in her position while she and her deputies are probed.
Speaking to Citi News, he also said that the President may not be compelled to implement the recommendations of the Judicial Council should they call for the suspension of the EC boss.
Meanwhile, EC boss Charlotte Osei has written to president Nana Akufo-Addo demanding an official copy of a petition seeking her removal.
She has also written to the Judicial Council acknowledging the invitation to appear before the Committee to preside over her possible impeachment proceedings. She was quick to demand, however, a copy of the petition, as well as the composition of the of the committee, constituted.
In the letter to the Judicial Service dated December 11, 2017, Madam Osei complained she had not been given a copy of the alleged petition.
“I would respectfully like to make you aware of the following:
(a) I have to this day, not been furnished with a copy of the alleged petition.
(b) I was provided with a statement of the allegations made against me in a letter from Her Ladyship, the Chief Justice in which she also asked me to respond to the allegations.”
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