The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has released a half-year report on its activities in 2022.
According to the OSP, the release of the report is in pursuance of section 3(3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The 13-page report offers an insight into the corruption cases investigated and prosecuted by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the highlights of activities undertaken by the Office between 1 August, 2022 and 31st December, 2022.
The report signed by the Special Prosecutor, Mr. Kissi Agyebeng lists two cases as having been concluded. One of them is investigation into allegations of the use of public office for profit against Charles Bissue, a presidential staffer.
According to the report, “The Office has concluded investigation into allegations of the use of public office for profit against Charles Bissue, during his tenure as Secretary to the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), arising from an investigative documentary titled Galamsey Fraud Part I published by Tiger Eye P.I. and the investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.”
It noted that, “The Special Prosecutor or an authorised officer will issue directives and further action on the matter in due course.”
It would be recalled that in October last year, the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, started investigating some public officials over their alleged involvement in illegal mining.
The investigation targets some officials of the Lands Ministry, the Forestry Commission, and the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
In a press release issued on Monday, October 10, the Office of the Special Prosecutor said there is an ongoing enquiry into allegations of use of public office for profit against Charles Bissue during his tenure as secretary to the IMCIM.
However, in December, Mr. Charles Bissue secured an injunction at an Accra High Court to stop the Special Prosecutor from investigating him.
The former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) prayed the court to prevent the Office of the Special Prosecutor from investigating him.
In a writ dated December 23, the court ordered the interlocutory injunction to prevent pending the determination of the suit.