The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has clarified its authority to make arrests without a warrant for suspects involved in corruption or corruption-related offenses.
This statement came in response to a recent Human Rights Court decision that granted an interim injunction preventing the arrest of Charles Bissue, a former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
The OSP took to Twitter to inform the public about its police powers, emphasizing that it can arrest individuals it reasonably suspects of committing corruption offenses, even without a warrant.
“The general public is advised, that in the exercise of its police powers, the Office of the Special Prosecutor can arrest without a warrant, any person it reasonably suspects of having committed corruption or corruption-related offenses.”
PUBLIC NOTICE
— Office of the Special Prosecutor-Ghana (@ospghana) June 15, 2023
The general public is advised, that in exercise of its police powers, the Office of the Special Prosecutor can arrest without a warrant, any person it reasonably suspects of having committed corruption or corruption-related offences. pic.twitter.com/Qjjmbjl8cU
However, following an application by Charles Bissue’s legal team, the Human Rights Court, presided over by Justice Nicholas Abodakpi, issued an interim injunction. This injunction restrains the Office of the Special Prosecutor and its agents from executing the purported arrest warrant against Mr Bissue.
Additionally, the court ordered the Special Prosecutor not to seek further arrest warrants or publish notices indicating that Mr Bissue is wanted, until the substantive matter is determined.
The interim injunction will be in effect for 10 days, and the case has been adjourned until June 22, 2023.
The Special Prosecutor had declared Mr Bissue a wanted individual after he failed to respond to an invitation to provide answers in relation to an ongoing investigation into suspected corruption within the dissolved IMCIM.
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