Claims by outgoing Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Right Reverend Professor Emmanuel Martey that he rejected a $100,000 and a V8 car bribe from politicians who wanted to prevent him from making critical comments on national issues are being disputed.
Addressing a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, Rt. Rev. Prof. disclosed that “Politicians have tried all means to muzzle me, to get me but they can’t, they come with bribes, fat envelopes, $100,000…I want everybody to listen that politicians came to my house with $100, 000 and also with the promises that if you keep quiet we will give you a house at Trasaaco with swimming pool", adding that, “We will give you Four Wheel drive [vehicle] but you know what, these people were lucky that I do not have big dogs in my house else I would have released the dogs for them to bite them.â€
But according to a former Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the PCG, Dr. Emmanuel Osei Acheampong, Rt. Rev. Prof. Martey was throwing dust in the eyes of the public because he indeed took money and a vehicle from some politicians.
Speaking to Kasapa FM's Akwasi Nsiah, the Dr Acheampong explained that a leading member of one of the opposition parties presented the money to him [Prof. Emmanuel Martey], indicating that claims he refused the money are false because Prof. Martey had offered him [Acheampong] part of the amount which he rejected it.
He revealed that he was sacked when they drew the Prof’s attention to the fact that he was overly dabbling in politics in variance with principles of the office he held.
"Today marks a sad day for the Christian religion, the statement from Prof Martey is one of the most unfortunate that I have heard in recent times, a leader should have ethical communication which will not escalate into violence. Jesus never talked this way. Prof Martey is speaking in the opposite way, when he came into office, he presented to us a statement from one of the strongest political party, when we kicked against it, he sacked me", he narrated, adding that "In July 28, 2013, around 8:15pm, he invited me to the office of one of the leading opposition parties not the ruling government, when I got there he had received the 100,000 dollars and a V8 he is claiming to have rejected. And he gave me 50,000 dollars, I am speaking on authority that he received the money".
The money, he explained, were given to influence their sermons, thereby pursuing the agendas of the party in the church.
‘We were told they will present us with statements and we will read as communique to the church because of our larger number,’ he claimed.
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