The High Court in Kumasi has acquitted and discharged Alexander Sarfo-Kantanka, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) chairman for Juaben in the Ashanti Region, who was standing trial for bribery in a case.
Sarfo-Kantanka aka “Chairman Aluta” had been charged with 26 counts of corruption-related offences following the emergence of a viral video in 2021, in which he was seen demanding refunds from assembly members after failing to secure enough votes to be confirmed as Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Juaben.
The footage sparked public outrage and led to a formal probe by the OSP, which accused the then-MCE nominee of attempting to bribe members of the Juaben Municipal Assembly. He was arrested and granted police inquiry bail in November 2021.
Despite being nominated twice by then-President Nana Akufo-Addo, Sarfo-Kantanka was rejected by the assembly members, with only ten voting in his favour during the final round — short of the required two-thirds majority.
His prosecution was considered a landmark test for the Special Prosecutor’s office under Kissi Agyebeng. The case, however, faced procedural delays, including the abrupt transfer of the presiding judge in late 2024 just before a verdict was expected.
