Wereko-Brobby, Mpiani freed

Charles Wereko-Brobby and Kwodwo Mpiani after the court's verdict         A High Court in Accra has acquitted and discharged Dr. Charles Wereko-Brobby and Mr. Kwadwo Mpiani from the charges of wilfully causing financial loss to the state in their management of the Ghana at 50 celebrations. Wereko-Brobby, CEO of the erstwhile Ghana at 50 Secretariat that supervised the day-to-day administration of activities planned for the anniversary of Ghana's 50th independence anniversary and Mpiani, former Chief of Staff under the Kufuor administration and Chairman of the anniversary planning committee were charged by the state following findings of a commission of enquiry. However, according to Joy FM's Cyrus De Graft Johnson, the court ruled that the findings of the commission cannot be used to prosecute them, or anyone. Justice Samuel Marfo-Sau held that it is unconstitutional and wrong for the Attorney-General to prosecute anyone on the basis of adverse findings made by a commission of enquiry. While Mr Mpiani parried off media enquiries moments after the court verdict, Dr Wereko-Brobby, otherwise called Tarzan, said he was "happy to be free" from prosecution. The judge also warned the state to desist from setting up commissions of enquiry on alleged malfeasance if it intends to prosecute any person for criminal conduct, according to De Graft Johnson. State prosecutors accused the two of deliberately over-spending in excess of what was approved by Parliament as well as contracting loans without approval from parliament. Upon their arraignment, a former deputy Attorney-General in the Kufuor Administration, Kwame Osei Prempeh, doubted the grounds for prosecution, claiming it was unconstitutional. Story by Isaac Yeboah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana