The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has firmly opposed proposals to transfer his office’s anti-corruption mandate to the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ), maintaining that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) must remain Ghana’s primary institution for combating corruption.
Addressing a Constitutional Review Committee forum, Mr Agyebeng rejected what he termed “misguided” calls to abolish the OSP and reassign its functions to CHRAJ.
Several individuals have criticised the OSP, claiming that it duplicates the functions of the Attorney General and other investigative bodies.
This includes an Economist with the University for Development Studies (UDS), Dr. Michael Ayamga Adongo, who argues that the OSP is making a mockery of fighting corruption and corruption-related offences.
Again, the Chairman of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, argues that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) should be scrapped because he believes the anti-corruption body has been ineffective.
However, Mr Agyebeng holds a different view.
“I’ve heard suggestions that CHRAJ should be given this mandate. Plainly speaking, that won’t work. Let CHRAJ focus on its human rights mandate while we establish the OSP constitutionally as the lead institution for anti-corruption efforts,” he stated.
Mr Agyebeng warned that dismantling the OSP would significantly undermine Ghana’s anti-corruption progress.
He explained that the current arrangement, where the OSP focuses on corruption, CHRAJ deals with human rights, and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) tackles economic crimes, has proven effective since the OSP began operations in 2018.
“Under this system, CHRAJ collaborates closely with the OSP, while both institutions work with EOCO as it focuses on economic crimes,” Mr Agyebeng explained. “Our experience since 2018 demonstrates this arrangement works effectively.”
“With this, CHRAJ always works hand in hand with OSP; the two institutions also work hand in hand with EOCO, as EOCO also focuses on economic crimes, and in our estimation, since 2018, from our work, it works out perfectly,” he added.
The OSP was established in 2018 as the gold standard and flagship specialised independent anti-corruption institution in Ghana in pursuance of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC).
The OSP has the object of investigating and prosecuting specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in the public and private sectors, recovering the proceeds of such acts by disgorging illicit and unexplained wealth and taking steps to prevent corruption.
As of Monday, April 28, the OSP stated on its website that it had achieved four prosecutions, recovered over GHS 3 million and saved the country over GHS 135 million.
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