President John Dramani Mahama contravened the gift policy with regards to his decision to accept a ford vehicle gift from a Burkinabe contractor, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) has concluded.
According to CHRAJ, it was satisfied that the gift in question formed part of gifts prohibited under the Gift Policy under the Code of Conduct and that although the evidence show that President Mahama subsequently surrendered the gift to the State, the action nonetheless contravened the gift policy.
That notwithstanding, the commission has also concluded that the President’s action did not amount to accepting a bribe.
This is because, upon evidence, the President submitted the Ford Expedition gift from the Burkinabe contractor, Mr Djibril Freres Kanazoe to the state.
CHRAJ, however, also established that the President was not culpable of conflict of interest, bribery or fraud in relation to the manner in which the vehicle was given to him.
A 78-page extensive decision by CHRAJ on the matter, a copy of which was available to Graphic Online covered the genesis of the saga from the time the story was aired by Joy FM in June this year, to the various media publications, the subsequent petitions by individuals and groups, and the in-depth investigations by CHRAJ, which included the review of audio and video footages and various extensive interviews with ministers and public servants.
It also included recommendations with the Commission concluding that “full or further investigations into the allegations are not warranted. The allegations therefore, are hereby dismissed.”
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