Naagyei 90.3 Fm Agyapa
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested the Municipal Chief Executive for Juaben to assist police investigations.
The arrest on Monday 1st November 2021, was in connection with a viral video of the nominee, Alex Sarfo Kantanka, allegedly demanding a refund of some sums of money he had allegedly paid to Assembly members to vote for his confirmation as the MCE for the Juaben Municipal Area.
A statement signed by Director, Public Affairs of the Ghana Police Service, Alexander Kwaku Obeng said after the suspect’s caution statement was taken, he was granted bail.
Background
The Juaben MCE-nominee and NPP Constituency Chairman, Alex Sarfo Kantanka, has been rejected again by the assembly members in his second attempt to secure a two-thirds majority of the total vote cast.
Despite all efforts by the NPP regional and constituency executives, some influential traditional leaders, the nominee still failed to win the hearts of the assembly members.
Out of the 26 total votes cast in the presence of the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, the nominee secured 10 Yes votes as against 15 No votes with 1 rejected ballot.
The disappointed nominee who could not control his emotions at the loss accosted an assembly member to return the bribe he took earlier before the confirmation.
According to Francis Yeboah Adumasah, an assembly member who doubles as the welfare committee chairman of the assembly, ”as a welfare chairman, it is my responsibility to get the assembly members who came for the assembly meeting their transportation, while going for the transport money from the finance officer the nominee attacked me to refund the money he gave me and so I informed the Ashanti regional minister Simon Osei-Mensah and his police bodyguard”.
“In our earlier meeting in which the nominee failed to secure the two-thirds majority of the total votes Yes, he gave money but not today’s election. The money he gave me I used for the work he assigned me to do so what’s his problem’?’ he questioned.
He described the rejected nominee as a ‘bitter loser’ explaining “you can’t win assembly elections without paying for electorate transportation.”
Member of Parliament for the Atwima-Nwabiagya South Constituency Emmanuel Adjei Anhwere, who was in the Juaben to monitor the election was also attacked by the disappointed nominee’s supporters.
However, the timely intervention of the police restored calm to the area.
