The former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has accused the current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, of have hidden 50 vehicles and cars from the Tema port, under the basement of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), last year.
He claimed that these vehicles were procured without following the proper procurement procedures and were not presented to the public as gifts or grants.
In a 15-page write-up titled “Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, Has Crossed the Redline by Scandalizing the Administration of Justice and Must Be Impeached: By Martin A. B. Amidu”, Mr Amidu said that he got to know this from informants and intelligence.
“I do not know whether the Special Prosecutor knows that tongues have been wagging from informants and intelligence, and in the media. I got to know that in 2022 the OSP took possession of over 50 operational vehicles and cars, some with bullet proof fortifications, from the Tema port which were hidden under the basement of the OSP.
The OSP did not have an operational procurement entity at the time to enable the OSP to procure them from its moneys approved by Parliament; internally generated funds, and grants approved by the Minister responsible for Finance in consultation with the Attorney-General. My information is that two of the vehicles driven from the Tema port in convey got involved in an accident on the Tema Motorway in which one of the vehicles became a complete write-off,” he wrote.
Amidu also questioned why the public had not heard or seen the President, Attorney-General or any entity presenting these over 50 vehicles as gifts to the OSP as is the usual practice with donations in the form of grants. Amidu suggests that a media briefing by the OSP would be essential to address public concerns and dispel suspicions regarding potential violations of procurement laws in the acquisition of these vehicles.
“The public has not heard or seen the President, Attorney-General or any entity presenting these over 50 vehicles as gifts to the OSP as is the usual practice with donations in the form of grants. A media briefing by the OSP will assuage public suspicions of violations of the procurement law in their procurement.”
Amidu resigned from his position as the Special Prosecutor in November 2020, citing interference from the President and other government officials in his work. He also accused the President of being a “mother serpent of corruption” and of failing to protect the independence of the OSP.
The current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, was appointed in July 2021, after a vetting process by the Parliament. He has vowed to fight corruption without fear or favour and to uphold the mandate of the OSP. He has also denied any links or allegiance to any political party or person.
The OSP is an independent agency established in 2018 to investigate and prosecute cases of corruption involving public officers and politically exposed persons. It is also mandated to recover and manage the proceeds of corruption.