The Electoral Commission (EC) says it has held preliminary discussions with the Police Service and asked the security agency to start criminal investigations into the alleged bribery attempt of election officials at a polling station during Tuesday’s by-election at Ejisu in the Ashanti region.
A video emerged Tuesday afternoon of the New Patriotic Party MP for Kwadaso, Prof Kingsley Nyarko offering two election officers a white envelope he now says contained cash to do the officers ‘a favour’.
The video has since gone viral with various interpretations and allegations of attempted bribery.
Prof Kingsley Nyarko has denied the bribery allegation and says he could not have attempted to bribe the officers in the open.
A statement issued as an update by the EC identified the two electoral officers stationed at the Fumesua Pentecost Church Polling Station with Polling Station Code F311503, as “Temporary Election Officials of the Electoral Commission recruited to conduct the Ejisu By-Election. They are Regina Serwaa, Ballot Issuer and George Sasu, Presiding Officer.”
“Our investigations further revealed that the man in the video, walked to their table and enquired whether they had eaten. He then placed the envelope on the table and asked them to use the contents of the envelope for their lunch, following which he walked away.”
The Electoral Commission, according to the statement signed by Mr. Samuel Tettey, Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations, said it has taken the following actions:
- Withdrawn with immediate effect, the services of the two (2) Temporary Election Officers.
- Held preliminary discussions with the Ghana Police Service to kick start the process for criminal investigations into the matter.