The Assembly members in the Juaben Municipal Assembly who have been accused by beleaguered MCE nominee of accepting bribe to endorse him, said the money was a gift.
The assembly members argued that people who approached them with the ‘bribe’ did not tell them they would have to pay back in event the nominee was rejected.
In a post seen by Mynewsafric.com, Prince Oppong Kyekyeku, one of the accused assembly members who identified himself as spokesperson of the group said they have no transaction with the embattled MCE nominee over his claims for refund of alleged bribes he paid to members ahead of his confirmation.
According to the Assemblyman for Bomfa Ahenbronu, no Assembly member agreed to take the bribes in exchange for the nominee’s confirmation.
“We have no business transaction with the embattled MCE nominee for the area,” he said.
He emphasized that the gift they received prior to the day of the confirmation of the MCE nominee “was and remains a gift from well-meaning community members”.
“As Assembly members, we’ve no contractual agreement with the embattled MCE nominee for him to pay money in return for his confirmation,” he added.
Alex Sarfo Kantanka, the President’s nominee for the Juaben Municipal Assembly, was captured in a secretly filmed video demanding a refund of the bribe he paid to several Assembly members following his rejection during a near-chaotic confirmation process.
He was seen hurling insults and curses at some individuals believed to be Assembly members. In some instances, he was seen angrily exchanging words with some assembly members and demanding the return of monies paid to them.
Mr. Kantanka was arrested later in the day but was granted a self-cognizance bail over his demand of the money he paid as bribes to the Assembly members.
However, Mr. Oppong Kyekyeku maintained that the MCE nominee has divided the rank and file of the party he once chaired adding that the nominee is a known divisive person who finds it difficult to work with people.
