Youth and Sports Committee Chair pushes for full trial in 2023 African Games saga
The Chairperson of Parliament’s Youth and Sports Committee, Ernest Henry Norgbey, has called for full prosecution of individuals implicated in alleged financial irregularities linked to the 2023 African Games, insisting that the matter must proceed through the courts without plea bargaining arrangements.
Speaking in an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Tuesday, May 26, in response to emerging reports on alleged financial impropriety surrounding the 2023 African Games, Mr. Norgbey said the findings being discussed publicly did not come as a surprise.
“We are not surprised about what we are seeing in the report or what your reporters are reporting,” he stated.
According to him, the most important step now is to allow the legal process to take its full course to ensure accountability for any wrongdoing established by the courts.
“The matter should take its natural course,” he said. “People must suffer for their actions, and we want the matter to go the full haul, and then the court should determine it.”
Pressed on what exactly the committee expects given the scale of the alleged financial losses, Mr. Norgbey maintained that the case must be thoroughly prosecuted in court and warned against any attempts to resolve the matter through negotiated settlements.
“The matter must go to court, the court must look into the matter very well, and the committee is against anything short of that. We are against what we now call plea bargaining, where somebody embezzles money, and then they are asked to pay part of the money and go scot-free,” he stated.
According to him, the increasing reliance on negotiated settlements in corruption cases risks weakening accountability and deterrence in the country. “It’s becoming one too many where we are employing this particular tool to mitigate offences in the country,” he added.
The 13th African Games, hosted in Accra, Kumasi and Cape Coast in March 2024, involved massive government expenditure on sports infrastructure, logistics, accommodation and operational activities.
While the tournament was largely hailed for its successful organisation and upgraded sporting facilities, concerns over costs and procurement processes dominated public discourse both before and after the event.
The latest audit findings are expected to intensify demands for greater accountability and transparency in the management of public funds allocated to major national events and infrastructure projects.
المصدر: MyJoyOnline (GH)