Adding to the calls for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to utilise the appeal process in the judicial system is a former Attorney General, Joseph Nii Ayikoi Otoo.
Mr. Ayikoi Otoo has advised the OSP to desist from criticising judges at press conferences for dismissing cases filed by his outfit on matters relating to suspicion of corruption.
According to the man who served as A-G during John Kufuor’s administration, what Kissi Agyebeng needs to be doing is to seek for appeal when he feels he has a stronger case on a matter rather than crying to the public at press conferences.
“I do not think that it is necessary for him to lament and to hold press conferences.
“I mean when a lawyer goes to court and he loses a case, if you believe strongly that the judges committed errors in coming to that conclusion, all you need to do is to file an appeal,” he told Accra-based Citi FM Tuesday, December 12, 2023.
He added, “He (Kissi Agyabeng) is completely wrong; he should have done that…Instead of going on appeal, you sit and cry to the press. What does he want the press to do for him? That is very disappointing on his part.”
Mr. Ayikoi Otoo’s comments follow the OSP’s suspicion that the Judiciary has ganged up against his office in fighting corruption in the country, thereby dismissing cases from his outfit on matters relating to corruption.
Mr. Kissi Agyebeng has said at a press conference Wednesday, November 29, that there is a “growing hasty dismissiveness and lack of regard” for cases of suspected corruption.
He said the development was going to impede the OSP’s effort in curbing corruption in the country, which is its mandate.
Mr. Agyebeng, during his press conference, highlighted the exoneration of former Sanitation and Water Resources minister, Cecilia Abena Dapaah, in a suspected corruption case, as well as the court’s refusal to freeze the estate of the late NPP General Secretary, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.
Meanwhile, during parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Kingsfored Bagbin, held that the law establishing the OSP was an act of futility.
Speaking during the consideration of the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill 2021, he stressed that the Office will not achieve any results in the fight against corruption.
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