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Former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue has responded to the fresh 15 criminal charges filed by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) against him.

The charges, filed at the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra on April 28, alleged that between January and February 2019, Mr Bissue, while serving as IMCIM Secretary, corruptly accepted bribes totaling GHC35,000 from one Benjamin Adjapong, directly and through Owusu, to fast-track the renewal of an expired mining license for ORR Resources Enterprise without proper documentation.

Bissue faces nine counts, including using public office for profit under Section 179C(a) of Act 29 for allegedly receiving GHC15,000 on January 22, GHC10,000 on January 30, and another GHC10,000 on February 8 to bypass IMCIM vetting processes.

He is also charged with corruption by a public officer under Sections 239(1) & (3) of Act 29 (as amended by Act 1034) for accepting bribes to influence official duties.

Responding to these charges in a statement on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Charles Bissue expressed his willingness and preparedness to cooperate with investigation and proceedings, urging the court to adjudicate the matter “impartially and conclusively.”

“I remain fully committed to cooperating with the proceedings and trust that the courts will adjudicate this matter impartially and conclusively,” he said.

He welcomed the decision by the OSP to proceed with the investigation after more than five years of the documentary by investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

According to Charles Bissue, while in office he always acted in full compliance with both the legal and ethical obligations of the office and the laws of the country, arguing that any suggestion of misconduct is “baseless and will be vigorously challenged through due process”.

“The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed a writ seeking to initiate prosecution against me and Mr. Andy Thomas Owusu on charges, including the alleged misuse of public office for profit and corruption.

‘This case pertains to the widely publicized “Galamsey Fraud” investigation, as documented in the 2019 Tiger Eye P.I. report, which has been the subject of public discourse for several years,” he said.

He called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor to ensure transparency in the matter, by submitting to the court a “complete, unedited, and unaltered version of the video documentary referenced in these proceedings.”

“Ghanaians deserve access to the unvarnished truth and factual evidence, free from distortion or misdirection by external narratives or selective interpretations,” he added.

Charles Bissue noted that the timing of this matter underscores the importance of judicial proceedings particularly when it is occurring under a different government and one which he did not serve under.

“It is my sincere hope that this process will allow all parties an equitable opportunity to present evidence and that the facts will be evaluated fairly, without bias,” he asserted.

He believes that truth and justice will prevail in the matter. He urged the public to respect the legal process and refrain from premature judgments.

Charles Bissue says Ghanaians deserve transparency, accountability, and a resolution rooted in the rule of law as far as this case is concerned.

Read full statement by Charles Bissue below.

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