Arrest of Prof. Frimpong-Boateng was awkward and unimpressive -Rashid Pelpuo
Dr Rashid Pelpuo, the ranking member of the Parliament’s Lands and Forestry Committee, has called the arrest of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former minister of environment, science, technology, and innovation, “awkward” and “unimpressive.”
He said in a statement to journalists that the arrest of Prof. Frimpong Boateng appears to be a deliberate effort to cover up other high-ranking government figures who were mentioned in the bombshell report released by the former minister that indicted some NPP officials for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities.
“A few days ago, we heard the news of the arrest of Professor Frimpong-Boateng and we find the arrest awkward and unimpressive because rather than working with the professor to get to the roots of the problem, he is rather seen as a culprit and not an informant. This creates the impression that his arrest is meant to becloud the accusation of the government’s involvement in corrupt activities.”
In order to demonstrate the government’s commitment, Dr. Pelpuo also encouraged it to detain those who were said to be participating in or interfering with the fight against illegal mining in Professor Frimpong-Boateng’s report.
“We believe that if the government seriously wants to demonstrate its seriousness in fighting galamsey, it must go beyond the arrest of Professor Frimpong-Boateng. It should go wider by ensuring the arrest of government appointees at the Jubilee House.”
Professor Frimpong-Boateng was interrogated and granted bail by the Office of the Special Prosecutor OSP last month after he was invited to answer questions about suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of the activities and expenditure of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining IMCIM, which he chaired.
