By Rockson Adofo
What are the questions to be asked, the impact on the person (Professor Martey) and the general Presbyterian Church of Ghana and the general implications of his actions?
To start with, who was the person(s) who tried to bribe him with the intent to gagging him from ever lambasting their party? Was he castigating that yet publicly unknown political party and her membership rightly, based on crimes and other wrongs they were committing or he was simply being mischievous, attacking them for its own sake?
Did he actually accept the cash bribe, the 4 x 4 car and the other attached bribery promise of flat at Trasacco?
Let us assume that Rev. Professor Martey took the bribe. What prompted him to give half of the US$100,000, thus, US$50,000, to the later to be sacked Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the church, Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong? Why was Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong sacked? Was it for condoning and conniving with Professor Martey to accept bribe contrary to the expectations of the Church and the godly principles of the Christian Faith where every member is to stay above reproach, not engaging themselves in evil practices of which offering and taking bribes is one?
If he was sacked for his part played in the alleged bribery, why was the principal culprit, Rev. Professor Martey not equally punished? Why would Professor Martey take him to the house of the yet unknown politician to take the bribe? When the bribe was offered to Professor Martey, what was the instant reaction of the accomplice, thus, the Latter-day Saint (PRO) Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong? Was he gleeful or he was sullen? If he had become saddened at what was unfolding before him, why did he accept a share of the offered bribe?
What did he do with his share of the alleged bribe? Did he take it straight away to the Church, showed it to them, subsequently rejected it and lodged either formal or informal complaint against Rev. Professor Martey with the Church and the Police? If he had, why did the public not hear about it until today?
Why has the sacked PRO waited until now, to come public with a crime committed in year 2013? Is it because of the fact that Rev. Professor Martey is no longer the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana hence has become a toothless bull he can easily conquer by dealing him a single powerful deadly blow in the form of “bribe-taker” as it is now the obvious case?
Let it be known to all and sundry with Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong inclusive that offering and taking bribe is a crime which is punishable by the laws of the land according as stipulated in the Ghana Criminal Code 1960 (ACT 29) – Sections 239 to 245.
I strongly detest instances of offering and taking bribes by public and traditional officials hence my continuously expressed opposing view to the Asante “Overlord’s” support and role played in the fake enstoolment of one Dr Yaw Sarfo as the Kumawuhene.
Let it be known by Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong that if it does turn out that the bribe was indeed taken and he had a share of it, he is as equally guilty and liable for punishment as Professor Martey.
From the underlying cited web link of a video posting on Professor Martey on this bribery allegation, one will begin to disbelieve the version as presented by Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong.
http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Prof-Martey-s-100k-bribe-Ex-PRO-s-claims-false-Presbyterian-Church-of-Ghana-466826
From the video, the alleged bribe-giver went to the Professor’s home but not the other way round as asserted by the PRO – “In July 28, 2013, around 8:15pm, he invited me to the office of one of the leading opposition parties, not the ruling government, when I got there he had received the 100,000 dollars and a V8 he is claiming to have rejected. And he gave me 50,000 dollars, I am speaking on authority that he received the money.”
Has Professor Martey ever used a V8 car? If he has one, what is its registration number, how did he acquire it and when? Both the PRO and Rev. Professor Martey have many questions to answer.
Is the Professor Martey not being blackmailed for being vociferous in his condemnation of the style of governance by President Mahama and the NDC? It is no secret to any sensible Ghanaian to remark that President Mahama is corruptly, incompetently, selectively and ruinously running the affairs of Ghana and that it is about time he was booted out of office to save Ghana from total socio-economic collapse.
Today, what has prompted Dr Emmanuel Osei Akyeampong to become a whistle-blower, something he should have done there and then, when the bribe was offered and taken in 2013? Is he simply not being a nuisance fly or mosquito buzzing around our ears with his allegation of which when proven to be true, he will be held equally culpable?
Sign up for Ghana Star News to receive daily email alerts of breaking news in Ghana. GhanaStar.com is your source for all Ghana News. Get the latest Ghana news, breaking news, sports, politics, entertainment and more about Ghana, Africa and beyond.
