Former Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo, has remarked that when efforts are made to combat corruption, its proponents will retaliate using any means necessary.
His statement comes in the wake of a petition forwarded by President Akufo-Addo to the Chief Justice seeking the removal of Mr. Kissi Agyebeng as Special Prosecutor.
The petition, dated April 30, 2024, was submitted to the President by former Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu and conveyed to Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on May 6, 2024.
Amidu’s petition alleges procurement breaches in the purchase of vehicles for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and abuses involving judges and the administration of justice.
Additional allegations include violations of citizens’ rights through arrests and detentions, infringements on the right to information, and improper appointments of personnel to the office.
Speaking to the JoyNews AM show on May 17, Mr. Domelevo said that “I have stated time and again that if you fight corruption, corruption will fight you back using any means available, so it is not a surprise to me at all.”
Former Auditor-General, Daniel Yao Domelevo, expressed surprise at the actions of Martin Amidu, the former Special Prosecutor, who initiated the petition against Kissi Agyebeng, Amidu’s successor.
When questioned about his description of Amidu’s actions as “corruption fighting corruption,” Domelevo defended his statement, stating that he found Amidu’s actions unsurprising.
“You have no idea how corruption fights. Corruption is not going to fight using corrupt methods. It is going to pretend and use what looks like very genuine reasons, and I always say that there is the story behind a story, so the story behind the story is difficult for all of us to know, but what I am just trying to say is that to me, if you are in the public domain fighting people, others may also look for an opportunity to fight you back.”.
“Where it’s coming from is what surprises me. You know Martin is my very good friend, but we have different values. And I would not participate in any form or shape in the removal of my successor from office. In fact, in his case even I can say that he resigned. I don’t think Kissi Agyebeng played role in it. I suspect the one who succeeded me had a role to play but I will not play any role as such.”
Domelevo noted that besides the unusual nature of the petitioner’s identity, the case might also reinforce suspicions, as previously suggested by some commentators, that the action was prompted by perceptions that the current Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, is overshadowing his predecessor.
“You know at times, somethings you can do, but you leave it to other people to do it because, like Senanu is alluding to, it looks like because he is outshining him, so he wants to remove him out of office, which to me I will not allow such a situation to arise before people will impute those intentions into my actions,” he noted.
Regarding the allegations of procurement breaches against the OSP and its potential impact on the impeachment petition, Domelevo commented that prosecuting authorities tend to apply procurement laws selectively, focusing on their interests. He pointed out that serious allegations against the presidency and the Electoral Commission have been overlooked.
“The pattern is that they use the procurement offences only when it suits them. Didn’t we hear about procurement offences by the EC, the current EC and several others, even the presidency itself and how do they treat them? They are treated with kid gloves. It’s only when you are on the other side, you are not liked then they activate the procurement offence against you.
“I know that nobody is above the aw and everybody is supposed to go according to the law but then the selectiveness, the selectivity in using this procurement law is becoming one too many. Several huge procurement offences are known to all of us and are not being addressed but they pick on individuals who they think they should pick on and they talk about procurement offences. I’m not saying that that justifies the procurement offence if there is any…”