Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng has made a shocking revelation about the current relationship between the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Judiciary.
In a press conference on Wednesday, November 29, Mr Agyebeng noted that after the Office adopted a policy that it would issue a media release after every major judicial pronouncement by informing the public our judges opinions on cases involving the OSP and stating the position of the Court on the opinion in question, as to whether the opinion progresses the fight against corruption or inhibits the fight against corruption, he has received phone calls expressing concern.
He noted that the calls revealed how some judges are likely to team up and throw out all cases involving the OSP before it due to the policy.
“I have had several calls from well-meaning lawyers admonishing me that they have heard talk that our friends who have been elevated to the bench and presiding over cases in court do not take very kindly to criticism, especially of the public calling out variety as we do and if the Office persists in the media releases, the judges will gang up against the office and throw out all our cases.”
The Special Prosecutor clarified that he has not launched an attack against the Judiciary.
My learning of the law for the past 25 years in three different jurisdictions, my teaching and training of lawyers and law students for the past 17 years, my 20 year record at the bar, all bear testimony that I will be the last person to head and lead an institution to attack the Judiciary.
He noted that any antagonism by any of the sides will “spell disastrous consequences for this republic, especially in the fight against corruption.”
Meanwhile, the Special Prosecutor noted that “those who applaud the policy of transparency see it for what it is—public information and the assurances of the position of the Office on the fight against corruption and nothing more.”
For Mr Kissi Agyebeng, a major pillar in the fight against corruption is transparency on the part of anti-corruption agencies.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey