A Bolgatanga Circuit Court, presided over by His Honour Malcolm Bedzrah on Wednesday acquitted and discharged three persons who were standing trial for allegedly attempting to bribe a journalist, Edward Adeti not to publish a story.
Maxwell Wooma who is the Public Relations Officer of Shaanxi Mining Company Limited, Charles Taleog Ndanbon, Managing Director of Pubortaaba Mining Ltd and Suwaid Abdul-Mumin, an aide to former Upper East Regional Minister Rockson Bukari were arraigned before the Circuit Court for the offences of Bribe and Abetment of Crime to Wit Bribe.
Following a submission of no case by lawyers for the three accused persons, the court upheld that the complainant being Edward Adeti is not a public officer and therefore cannot claim there was an attempted bribery on him by Charles Teleog Ndanbon to kill the story when both the accused and the complainant are private individuals working for Limited Liability Companies.
It will be recalled that Edward Adeti, the Upper East Regional correspondent for Starr Fm in December 2018 published claims that a Chinese Mining company through the Managing Director of its Ghanaian partner had presented to him a brand new motor bike and cash of Gh¢5,000 to cause him not to publish a story after he saw the Public Relations Officer of the Mining company Maxwell Wooma visiting the house of a Bolgatanga High Court judge Justice Jacob Boon who was at the time sitting on a case between the Chinese Mining company and a rival mining firm Cassius Mining Company.
Following a submission of the motor bike and the cash to the Bureau of National Investigation by the journalist as evidence and exhibits, the BNI subsequently on March 27, 2019 forwarded the items to the regional police command for investigation and further action.
After investigations docket was sent to the Attorney General’s Department, it was advised that the accused be charged with offences of bribe and abetment.
Lawyers for the three, had argued that prosecution had failed to lead evidence to prove the essential ingredient of Section 252 of Act 29 which states that the giver and the receiver of the said bribe ought to be public officers which both parties are not.
It also emerged during cross examination of Edward Adeti by lawyers for the accused which was admitted by him that Charles Ndanbon, the accused and he Edward Adeti have had a cordial relationship in the past which has been mutually beneficial with a couple of visits to the house of the accused.
It was further established that previous financial support was solicited by Edward Adeti from the lead accused to the tune of Gh¢1,000 to set up a website, which was offered.
The court in its ruling acquitted and discharged the three accused persons and asked that the motor bike and the cash be given to Edward Adeti as gifts which the accused persons had said they were.
Though Edward Adeti has indicated in a publication seen by dreamzfmonline.com that he would be donating the items to charity, sources say there will likely be an action which may be a mere request and or subsequently legal for the gifts to be returned to the giver.
