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Seasoned Journalist Abdul Malik Kwaku Baako has branded as pure falsehood the viral video showing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo receiving an amount from Ghana's Ambassador to the USA, Baffour Adjei Bawuah who was acting on behalf of the Director of Urban Road, Alhaji Dr. Abass.

The video has stirred agitations within the political domain and particularly as it's left with five days to the Presidential elections, it's become even more crucial for the matter to be dealt with thoroughly.

The story purports that President Akufo-Addo was accepting bribe.

The Salis newspaper captioned the report as ''Caught Pants Down! President Akufo-Addo Taking Bribe''.

In the video sighted by Peacefmonline.com, President Akufo-Addo is seen receiving an amount in an envelope, which the Salis newspaper says is $40,000, from Hon. Baffour Adjei Bawuah and later opening a notebook and seemingly taking record of the amount.

The Salis newspaper wrote; ''It has been revealed that NANA AKUFO-ADDO is not the ANGEL Ghanaians perceived him to be but one, who is fully entangled in CORRUPTION and only fights corruption with words. Undercover investigations conducted by The Salis Newspaper has exposed sitting President Nana Akufo-Addo of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) taking a bribe in a BROWN ENVELOPE in an undercover video. The money was handed over to Ambassador Baffour Adjei Bawuah...The US $40000 Dollar Bribe was paid to the President in 2017 after the NPP won the 2016 Elections at Nana Akufo-Addo's private residence in Nima, Accra. The giver of the BRIBE is the current Director of URBAN ROADS, Alhaji Dr. Abass.''

But the story has been checked out by Kweku Baako as assassinating the character and reputation of President Nana Akufo-Addo.

Dissecting the report, Mr. Baako stated emphatically that the incident happened prior to the 2016 elections when President Akufo-Addo was a candidate for the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

He stated that the person behind the video is called Salis Yakubu who owns the Salis newspaper and he is known to be a notorious liar.

According to him, the viral video is fake and that he (Baako) has the original tape recording in his possession.

The original tape, he noted, captured the face of Salis Yakubu as he was secretly recording the then candidate Akufo-Addo.

''That visit was October 2016 . . . People should know that thing is fake. It was 2016 secret recording of candidate Akufo-Addo; that's why the T-shirt in the video is written upon 'Arise for Change'. The gentleman, with all his so-called professionalism, inadvertently if you like exposed himself; he's also captured on the original tape'', he said on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo".

Kweku Baako also refuted claims that the amount was $40,000.

He revealed the amount was Ghc 40,000 and was given to the President towards his campaign to win the 2016 elections.

He further debunked the allegations that the money was given to induce the President in order to secure the job of the Director of Urban Roads, Alhaji Dr. Abass.

"When you talk of bribing a sitting President in order to secure somebody's job security, you're talking nonsense. This is firing blank bullets that have been fired by political desperados...It is only political desperados, at this eleventh hour, will do what they're doing but unfortunately for them, they fired blank bullets that will have no effect.''

He called on Alhaji Abass to take legal action against the Salis newspaper, entities and all persons who decide to peddle the false story.

''The sad part is that a fine public servant like Alhaji Abass, you bring him to the front burner relative to propaganda of nuisance value. It's unfair to him. He doesn't deserve that and I hope what I've heard is true that he's getting his lawyers to take steps to deal with this matter.

''I would pray to God that this case should go to court. Look, the court doesn't interrogate rumors, gossips and so forth. They have no room there and you'll be so embarrased," he stated.