Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, has urged for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to be formally entrenched in Ghana’s constitution to bolster its independence and effectiveness.
Agyebeng argued that constitutional recognition of the OSP would address recurring questions about its legitimacy and empower it to execute its anti-corruption mandate with greater authority.
Speaking before the Constitutional Review Committee on Friday, April 25, Agyebeng stated, “Every now and then, there is a question on whether it is constitutional or otherwise.” He emphasized that enshrining the OSP in the constitution, ensuring full prosecutorial independence, would eliminate this uncertainty.
“This would allow the OSP to wield its own prosecutorial power in tackling corruption, thus silencing debates over its legitimacy and enabling it to fulfill its mandate effectively.”
Mr. Agyebeng also criticised the current arrangement where aspects of the OSP’s prosecutorial powers are ceded from the Attorney-General’s Department, describing it as inadequate for an institution tasked with confronting corruption head-on.
He maintained that the OSP remains the only institution capable of tackling corruption independently, and a constitutional backing would further insulate it from political interference.
