The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has published its half-year report for 2023, the report provided updates on its ongoing efforts to combat corruption in the country. The report highlights the completion of investigations into three significant cases, as well as the initiation of probes into 150 new corruption-related cases. Few of the completed cases mentioned includes: Charles Bissue – Secretary to the erstwhile Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM): which originated from an investigative documentary titled “Galamsey Fraud” by Tiger Eye PI. The full report  Introduction 1.1   The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is the gold standard and flagship specialised independent anti-corruption state agency in Ghana. It was created in 2017 under an Act of Parliament – Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) in pursuance of the objects of the United Nations Convention against Corruption. Two legislative instruments have also been enacted to augment the operation of Act 959. The first is the Office of the Special Prosecutor Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2373), which regulates the management of human capital and discipline. The second is the Office of the Special Prosecutor (Operations) Regulations, 2018 (L.I. 2374). 1.2 The Office has the object of investigating and prosecuting specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences, recovering the proceeds of corruption and corruption-related offences, and taking steps to prevent corruption. 1.3   The Office exercises full police and law enforcement powers in the performance of its functions. 1.4   The Office is independent and unique in its mandate. Its independence, by law, is assured in the proper sense, as the Special Prosecutor retains full authority and control over the investigation, initiation, prosecution and conduct of cases. 1.5   The OSP’s mandate is not only in respect of public officials. It has the authority to investigate and prosecute private persons and politically exposed persons. In this context, politically exposed persons are those who have been entrusted with prominent public functions in Ghana or in a foreign country or an international organisation such as senior political party officials, government officials, judicial officials, military officials, or a person who is or has been an executive in a foreign country of a state-owned company, or a senior political party official in a foreign country, or an immediate family member or close associate of such persons. II Developments 2.1 The Office concluded a substantial recruitment process for its initial establishment complement of staff. The Office received more than 6,000 applications contending for 249 positions cleared by Parliament and the Ministry of Finance. The exercise was conducted with the participation and assistance of the Public Services Commission; Attorney General and Ministry of Justice; Research Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Economic & Organised Crime Office; Commission on Human Rights & Administrative Justice; and Financial Intelligence Centre. There was also participation by the Governing Board of the Office comprising representatives from AntiCorruption Civil Society Organisations, Audit Service, Ghana Police Service, Economic & Organised Crime Office; Commission on Human Rights & Administrative Justice; Ministry of National Security, and Financial Intelligence Centre. The successful applicants are expected at post variously on or before 31 October 2023. The incoming officers would be a refreshing addition to ease the pressure on the overstretched skeletal staff and to assure enhanced and efficient operations of the Office. 2.2 In exercise of the corruption prevention powers of the Office, the Special Prosecutor, in August 2022 directed the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) to submit an Integrity Plan, to the Office, designed with the aim of preventing the corruption of the exercise of discretion by officials of the Customs Division of the Authority, especially in respect of the rendering of rulings, to assure the effective operation of the Customs Act, 2015 (Act 891) and the Revenue Administration Act, 2016 (Act 915). GRA complied with the directive in March 2023 and submitted the following designed and reworked documents: GRA Integrity Policy GRA Policy and Procedures on Advance Rulings iii. GRA Standard Operating Procedures on Advance Rulings GRA Integrity Plan Framework GRA Code of Ethics The OSP and GRA will work toward ensuring the implementation of these policies to reduce the incidence of corruption and improve the exercise of discretion at GRA. III Cases 3.1 In respect of the investigation and prosecution of specific cases of suspected or alleged cases of corruption and corruption-related offences, the Office first engages in intelligence gathering or “pre-investigation” to determine whether it should open investigation into a matter. The Special Prosecutor directs the opening of a preliminary enquiry or investigation where he determines that the matter is within the mandate of the Office. Where sufficient information is gathered, the Special Prosecutor directs the initiation of a full investigation. The Special Prosecutor directs the institution of criminal proceedings where it is determined that the Office has probative evidence to meet the standard of proof beyond reasonable doubt. 3.2 The Office takes especial care to safe-guard and protect the privacy and reputations of persons it investigates. To this end, the Office seeks to avoid unnecessary stigmatisation by conducting its operations with as little intrusion into the privacy of individuals and the business operations of companies as the circumstances permit 3.3 Thus, the Office only publishes the initiation or commencement of investigation where the Special Prosecutor deems the investigation in question to be at a threshold which dictates communication to the public. 3.4 The following are the various cases handled by the Office during the period under reference: A Prosecutions There has not been any convictions or acquittals in respect of the cases pending before the criminal courts during the period under review. Four (4) criminal cases are being tried before the courts. NR/TL/HC/CC1/13/23 The Republic v. Sumaila Abdul-Rahman; Stephen Yir-Eru Engmen; Patrick Seidu; and Andrew Kuundaari The trial of the former Chief Executive, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Operations, former Deputy Chief Executive in charge of Finance and Administration of Northern Development Authority and the Chief Executive A&QS Consortium Limited is pending before the Criminal Division of the