Don’t interfere in new Special Prosecutor’s work – GII to government

A civil society organisation which addresses corruption-related matters, the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), has urged the government to give the newly-appointed Special Prosecutor room to work and also provide him with the requisite resources.

The GII believes this will enable the nominee to independently perform his role as expected of him.

The Program Manager for GII, Mary Adda, in an interview on Eyewitness News said complaints of interference and a lack of resources to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, as raised by the former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, should not reoccur.

“Government should be seen to be off [his work]; no interference whatsoever with this new selection. He [the nominee] should be independent and be allowed to work. He should be supported by being given the required logistics,” she said.

Famed private legal practitioner and law lecturer, Kissi Agyebeng has been nominated by the Attorney General as the replacement for Martin Amidu, who resigned last year from his post as Special Prosecutor.

Mr. Agyebeng is expected to be vetted and approved by Parliament before he can commence his role.

Following the nomination, anti-corruption groups such as GII are calling for support for him to succeed.

Mary Adda said civil society groups and all Ghanaians must rally behind the nominee and support him to execute his mandate without fear or favour when approved.

“What civil society and all of us citizens would have to do now is to assure him of our support that whatever happens, we are there behind him and will provide our support to ensure that the fight against corruption will be a successful one. And we hope and pray that there would be the needed collaboration and the openness that is required to ensure that he does his work and does it very well.”

She added that they were convinced about Mr. Agyebeng’s capacity to deliver in the new role and was hopeful that his professional and academic life will come to bear on his work as Special Prosecutor.

“In the past, he has represented some anti-corruption interests and cases in court so if he has been given the full platform to execute his mandate, we hope and pray that he will bring this to bear; the knowledge from the classroom to the office and also bring the knowledge and experience from the cases he prosecuted to bear on the office he is coming to.”