According to private attorney, Kwame Jantuah, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) must use the broad authority granted to it by the legislation establishing the office in a manner that fosters public trust.
Mr. Jantuah made this comment regarding the detention of Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, a former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and iInnovation.
The famous cardiac surgeon has been subject to an investigation after accepting an invitation from the Office, a few weeks prior. He was invited for his report on the disbanded Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), which focused on corruption and actions related to it.
Additionally, he was allegedly detained for his claimed role in the theft of 500 excavators and the illicit mining activities of Symphony Limited, the business controlled by his son. Following his reported detention, he was immediately released on bail for GHC 2 million.
However, Mr. Jantuah said that although the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is granted significant authority under the Act, he must exercise those rights in a way that inspires trust in the public.
“He arrested Frimpong-Boateng but did he charge him? No! So, what is the sense of this arrest? Frimpong-Boateng is no ordinary gentleman, some respect should be shown to him, they could have given him self-recognizance bail.”
Kwame Jantuah
OSP Cross-Examines Other Persons Mentioned In Report
By questioning two more people, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has broadened its probe into the operations and spending of the now-defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee Against Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
Both Seth Mantey, a journalist for Accra-based Peace FM, and Horace Ekow Ewusi, the most recent 1st Vice-Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the Central Region, were detained and interrogated as part of the ongoing investigation.
Ekow Ewusi and Seth Mantey were questioned after the Special Prosecutor recently questioned Prof. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, the former Chairman of the IMCIM.
IMCIM was in charge of dealing with the problem of illegal mining in the nation, and Prof. Frimpong-Boateng put up a report outlining numerous people engaged in such activities, including Ekow Ewusi and Mantey.
Ekow Ewusi and Mantey, according to sources, were interrogated, given warnings, and then allowed bail.
In view of the shocking report Prof. Frimpong-Boateng gave to the Presidency, their participation in the IMCIM’s activities and expenditures is being closely examined.
More people who were referenced in the report are likely to be involved in further OSP investigations.
In order to learn more about the finances and activities of the IMCIM, the Special Prosecutor plans to call them for interrogation in the coming weeks.
Charles Bissue, the former secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), has filed a lawsuit to stop the OSP from charging him.
On June 8, Bissue sent a writ to the High Court in Accra asking the court to halt its investigation into alleged corruption at the IMCIM, specifically with regard to Prof. Kwabena Frimpong Boateng.
The Bissue lawsuit is the most recent step in the prominent probe, which has received a lot of attention in Ghana. The OSP is committed to investigating the claims in great detail and making sure that everyone responsible for any misconduct is brought to justice.
READ ALSO: NDC Government To Carry Out A Better Re-Registration Of SIM Cards– Sam George
