The Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mr Mahama Ayariga, who was standing trial over alleged procurement breaches in an ambulance purchase has been acquitted and discharged by the Accra High Court.

Mr Ayariga together with six others were charged by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for contravening the procurement Act.

It was the first corruption alleged case filed by the OSP.

Graphic Online’s court reporter, Emmanuel Ebo Hawkson, reports that the seven were however acquitted and discharged Friday, May 7, 2021 by the High Court, presided over by Justice Afia Serwah Asare–Botwe, after it upheld a submission of no case filed by the defence lawyers.

The accused persons were represented by lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe.

Background

The MP and six others, including the current MCE for Bawku, Hajia Ninchema, were in court for allegedly engaging in procurement breaches.

The seven accused persons were facing seven counts of conspiracy, abetment, contravention of the procedure for request for quotation, using public office for profit and transfer of foreign exchange from Ghana through an unauthorised dealer.

They pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

The seven are alleged to have acted together to import an ambulance without following due procurement process, as stipulated by law.