Addressing the press after the court hearing on Thursday, August 5, 2021, Haruna Iddrisu said the frivolous charge is just intended to politically prosecute and politically harass the Asutifi South Member of Parliament.
According to him, "I just believe that this frivolous bumped-up charge intended to politically prosecute and politically harass as I’ve said will remain undoubted. I do not think that these charges can stand the test of the law. I’m very convinced about it.
"Is it not interesting that they are being charged for financial loss to the state when we have evidence, as at May 31st, 2018, some payments were made to the same contractor yet the same persons who made those payments are not being charged, it can only be a matter of selective justice."
"Selective justice is discriminatory and upfront to Article 17 of the 1992 constitution. We don’t want to believe that this is also another selective justice aimed at political harassment and political intimidation," he noted.
He added: "I'm not even aware that ministers generate certificates or IPCs for payment That is not a ministerial role. I just know that technical consultants do that evaluation probably for ministers to effect change, but the matter is before the court.
"We will not be intimated. It is significant to us this trial is taking place when there is a legal vacation. And only persons who made payments under the NDC era are standing before trial. The payments made subsequent to May 31st, 2018 are not here. Matter of selective justice. These frivolous charges will not stand the test of law."
Collins Dauda has been charged with causing financial loss to the state in the Saglemi Housing deal.
He was charged for misapplying $200 million "by causing the said amount, which had been approved by the Parliament of Ghana for the construction of 5,000 housing units, to be applied towards the payment of 1,412 housing units under the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project".