Professor Aaron Michael Oquaye, a former Speaker of Ghana’s Parliament, has slammed the Office of the Special Prosecutor for abusing the powers of the office.
He says the Office, according to the Act that created it, is supposed to investigate corruption and corruption-related issues, and not be arresting private citizens for criticising its work.
His comments come on the back of the OSP’s arrest of legal practitioner, Martin Luther Kpebu, for allegedly obstructing an officer of the Special Prosecutor after being invited to the Office to aid with ongoing investigations.
Speaking on the matter on TV3’s Ghana Tonight Wednesday, December 3, 2025, the former Speaker said the OSP, instead of inviting Kpebu to its outfit, should have rather sued or referred him to a different institution if the lawyer has accused him of being corrupt.
“If Mr. Kpebu says you’re corrupt, you can sue him or refer him to another agency, if he thinks there is a crime, to look into that because your business is to investigate corruption.
He question the OSP, whether the lawyer is being investigated for corruption or corruption-related matters for him to be detained.
“Is Mr. Kpebu being charged with corruption? If the person is not being charged with corruption, therefore we mustn’t just mix things up. Because I want peace in this country,” he stated.
He bemoaned what he described as the abuse of power, adding that state institutions should rather be empowered, rather than proliferating them.
“People are abusing power everywhere. We don’t strengthen our institutions, we just proliferate institutions.”
Background
Martin Kpebu was detained by the OSP for nearly five hours before he was released on Wednesday night, December 3, 2025. This was after he had been accused of obstructing an officer of the Special Prosecutor same day.
In an interview with TV3 after his release, Mr Kpebu said his detention was needless.
“I know I have not done anything wrong, so I will be released,” he said.
He confirmed that he had an altercation with a military officer at the OSP. “The military officer said I am stupid, and I also said he is stupid. So we exchanged words,” he recalled.
According to him, “my arrest is a confirmation that Kissi Agyebeng is incompetent.”
Mr Kpebu reiterated his resolve to petition President Mahama for the removal of Kissi Agyebeng from Office as Special Prosecutor. “I will petition for his removal. I have 15 allegations against him,” he stated.
Earlier, news broke that the Office of the Special Prosecutor had detained Mr Kpebu at an undisclosed location.
One of his lawyers gave a blow-by-blow account on circumstances leading to his arrest and subsequent detention by officials of the OSP.
According to Marcellinus Biah, the OSP officials charged Mr. Kpebu with obstructing an officer of the Special Prosecutor.
Here is a verbatim account as narrated by Mr. Biah in an interview on TV3’s News360 on December 3.
“So, this afternoon at about two o’clock, we attended the invitation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to assist them in investigations. So, while we were at the premises, Martin granted an interview outside the premises of the Office of the Special Prosecutor and returned. So, it appears that one of the officers, that is, the police officer at the gate was not too happy with Martin granting an interview outside the premises of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Martin actually telling him that, no, there was nothing wrong with him granting an interview and subsequently attending to the inquiry.
He continued that, “And so there was some amount of altercation between, verbal exchange between him and then the officer. Thereafter, Martin proceeded to attend to the inquiry committee. So while we were, I mean, having discussions with the inquiry committee, in the course of that they told Martin that he had actually obstructed an officer of the Special Prosecutor and for that matter, he was going to be charged.
Meanwhile, let me be quick to add that when the altercation took place, Martin was first to even request to make a complaint against the third officer. But we’re told that the complaint center was not available to take our complaints. So, Martin proceeded to the inquiry board committee and presented a complaint before them.”
That’s the charge. Yes. So eventually they said he was briefly admitted to bail. In addition to that, he was to present one surety. So, I quickly drove back to the office, which is just about 10 minutes’ drive.
They whisked him away. As we speak now, we are unable to tell where Mr Kpebu is.”
‘The Special Prosecutor did not have any business inviting Mr. Kpebu’ – Prof. Oquaye
