‘We are not slow, we follow the law’ – OSP

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has rejected public claims that it has been slow in investigating and prosecuting corruption-related cases, insisting that its operations are guided by the law and due process.

The public backlash against the OSP intensified following the recent declaration of former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta as a wanted man.

Critics have questioned how the Special Prosecutor’s office seemingly allowed Ofori-Atta to leave the country before officially taking action against him.

This has led to concerns about the effectiveness of the OSP in tackling high-profile corruption cases, with some accusing the institution of moving at a sluggish pace.

However, speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show on Thursday, February 13, the Head of Communications and Strategy at the OSP, Sammy Darko, dismissed these accusations, arguing that such criticisms stem from a fundamental misunderstanding of the legal framework governing the Special Prosecutor’s office.

“Those on the side who say that the OSP is not following the law, it is just borne out of a misunderstanding of the OSP law. For example, in the Charles Bissue case, it was a simple clear case. We had wanted to arrest him and he run to the court and said we had unlawfully procured an arrest warrant but they lost and they decided to go to the Supreme Court and file other actions.

“And with Ofori-Atta, how do you obtain an arrest warrant without charge? And if we think that we need his presence, some people say we can proceed without him.”

The controversy surrounding the OSP’s handling of Ken Ofori-Atta’s case erupted after Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng announced at a press conference on Wednesday, February 12, that the former Finance Minister was being declared wanted in connection with four corruption-related investigations.