The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has posited that failure to declare the source of one’s wealth is a crime under the laws of Ghana.
According to the OSP, people who are unable to declare the source of their wealth will be prosecuted and are liable to a prison term of at least two years.
“When convicted for failing to declare property and income, a person is liable to a jail term of not below two years and not more than four years or a fine of not less than five hundred penalty units or both.”
OSP
The OSP is currently prosecuting four public servants whom it has arrested and charged for failing to declare their sources of income.
In a series of tweets, the OSP said that the public servants charged included James Keck Osei, an administrator at the Office of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; Issah Seidu, a staff at the National Insurance Commission; John Abban and Peter Archibold, who are both senior Officers with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority.
“Four persons, 3 public servants and 1 civil servant have been arrested and charged by OSP for failing to comply and declare sources of income in contravention of regulation 20 of LI2374.”
OSP
The Criminal Division of the High Court in Accra has granted bail to three out of the four accused persons after they pleaded not guilty.
Office of Special Prosecutor Waste Of Scarce Resources
A retired Appeals Court Judge has descended heavily on the government for the establishment of the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP).
According to Justice Isaac Delali Dose, the office is wasteful and will not serve the intended purpose. He said the OSP is a parallel office.
“It will not serve the purpose for which it was established, it will be business as usual in the unyielding fight against corruption.”
Justice Delali Dose
Justice Dose expressed his displeasure about the establishment of the OSP, while he noted that this is another duplication of the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice.
“These duplications will bring the fight against corruption to naught.”
Justice Delali Dose
He noted that the country once had the services of a Special Prosecutor who was solely in charge of prosecutions. He said the then Special Prosecutor’s office was manned by Justice Amonu Money.
“This was still under the attorney general’s office, but OSP is an additional cost on the already depleted state coffers. Now a huge edifice with tailor-made gargets has to be provided in the name of an office complex for the OSP and its staff.”
Justice Delali Dose
He mentioned that the fight against corruption is a concerted effort, adding that corruption and thievery are not the same.
According to him, when one uses his position to employ a person who is not qualified for the job, it can be termed as he or she took a bribe from the unqualified employee so that is corruption.
“But when you are given a contract to construct a road and you pocket part of the money and do a shoddy job, that’s thievery. Thievery, must not be confused with corruption.”
