A Section of Ghanaians to Stage Protest Demanding Removal of Special Prosecutor Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng
Opinion, Politics

A Section of Ghanaians to Stage Protest Demanding Removal of Special Prosecutor

A section of Ghanaians gathered with a single mission: to demand the removal of the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng. Their reason was clear; they believed he had failed to fulfill the mandate of his office. The previous day, Apostle Abraham Larbi Lincoln, the lead convener of the protest, addressed the media. He asserted that the group had lost confidence in the Special Prosecutor and called on President John Dramani Mahama to terminate Mr. Agyebeng’s appointment. The protest, themed “Agro Ne Fom,” was intended to shine a spotlight on what the group described as inefficiency within the Office of the Special Prosecutor. “We will be in our reds, and we will be there to present our case. If he doesn’t listen, then we know the kind of person he is. We are marching straight to the Jubilee House, and we will petition the President,” Apostle Lincoln declared, emphasizing the group’s determination. Apostle Lincoln was quick to clarify that their demonstration was not driven by personal animosity. “We do not hate Mr. Agyebeng,” he explained, “but we believe the office must be either reformed or dissolved entirely, with all staff removed.” Adding to the chorus of criticism, private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu revealed that 15 separate petitions had already been filed seeking the Special Prosecutor’s removal. “When was the last time you heard of other persons subject to Article 146 proceedings ever having 15 petitions filed against them? That tells you that there is something wrong,” Mr. Kpebu asserted, highlighting the growing public dissatisfaction with the office. As the protestors prepared to march to the Jubilee House to present their petition, the nation watched to see how the President would respond to their demands and whether the calls for change at the Office of the Special Prosecutor would be heeded. Source: Apexnewsgh.com

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Follow the footsteps of Martin Amidu – Crusaders Against Corruption advises Kissi Agyebeng
Opinion

Follow the footsteps of Martin Amidu – Crusaders Against Corruption advises Kissi Agyebeng

Mr. Emmanuel Wilson Junior, the Chief Crusader of the Crusaders Against Corruption, has called for Kissi Agyebeng to recuse himself from his position as Special Prosecutor in order to protect what remains of his reputation. This suggestion comes after another failed attempt by the special prosecutor to successfully prosecute an alleged state criminal. The Accra High Court recently nullified a report implicating former Commissioner of the Customs Division at the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA), Colonel Kwadwo Damoah, and Joseph Adu Kyei, a former Deputy Commissioner, for providing favorable tax treatment to Labianca Company Limited. The accused individuals filed a lawsuit contending that the report lacked merit and harmed their reputations. The court ruled in their favor, imposing a fine on the Special Prosecutor’s Office (OSP) and restraining further investigation into the matter. The OSP, however, maintained that it acted within its mandate and rejected the court’s decision. Mr. Emmanuel Wilson Junior criticized the OSP’s zero-win rate and accused it of vilifying innocent people on behalf of paymasters. He urged Kissi Agyebeng to follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, Martin Amidu, and step away from the situation. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0256336062

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Discontinue all auction sales till the investigation is concluded– OSP to Customs Division Kissi Agyebeng — Special Prosecutor
Opinion, Politics

Discontinue all auction sales till the investigation is concluded– OSP to Customs Division

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has started an investigation with the vehicles auctioning and items by the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority. A statement released from the Office of the Special Prosecution pointed out that the investigation will be on vehicles and items auctioned from 2016 to 2022. According to the statement, it has been written to the Customs Division to provide all necessary details of all the auctioned materials. Meanwhile, per the statement Customs Division has also been ordered to discontinue all auction sales till the investigation is concluded.    Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 0555568093.  

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I am older than you-Colonel Kwadwo Damoah told OSP
Opinion, Politics

I am older than you-Colonel Kwadwo Damoah told OSP

Colonel Kwadwo Damoah, Commissioner of the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA, (retired) has accused the Office of the Special Prosecutor of some steps to discredit him. Whiles speaking to senior Customs officers at a retreat in Kumasi Wednesday, Colonel Damoah pointed out that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) had tried to indict him and the Deputy Commissioner of Operations of the GRA in an investigative report. Colonel Damoah described the Special Prosecutor’s investigation as hollow and actuated by malice. He said “Anybody who has read that report very well, would know that basis of that, and luckily for me, God is always on my side. Before that report came, that person had made a statement to some people who had come (to tell me that), he was going to publish something that will discredit me and he will do that and I even sent people to go and tell him that he’s a small boy and I am older than him. I have lived a meaningful life and if he attempts to destroy me, it won’t be easy for him”. “People have tried it, I have survived and this one too I will survive,”  He alleged that the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng had targeted him because he blocked one Mr. Akurugu from being seconded to the OSP. “He (Special Prosecutor) calls me to his office in relation to LaBianca and at the end of it he talks to me about this same matter and I say yes it is not the Commissioner General (of GRA), I wrote it, go and check and I have my reasons, he will not be released to you, he will be in customs and then behind me, he goes to resign, he is given the position of Commissioner of Police and he is now with your office and he goes to make allegations that Mr. Adu Kyei and myself we hate him and they will deal with us, so that is it, that is the basis of that publication…” Office of the Special Prosecutor’s report In its investigative report, the OSP cited one Joseph Adu Kyei, a Deputy Commissioner of Customs in charge of Operations, for issuing an “unlawful customs advance ruling”. Mr. Kyei’s action is said to have led to the reduction of the benchmark values of the frozen foods imported by Labianca Limited, thereby reducing the company’s tax obligations to the state. The Special Prosecutor issued an interim directive to Labianca Company Limited to pay an amount of GH¢1,074,627.15, representing the short collection or shortfall of revenue arising from the issuance of the unlawful customs advance ruling by the Deputy Commissioner for Customs in charge of operations, Mr. Joseph Adu Kyei into the Asset Recovery Account of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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Breaking News: OSP starts investigation of alleged corruption in Northern Development Authority
Opinion, Politics

Breaking News: OSP starts investigation of alleged corruption in Northern Development Authority

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has intensified its investigation on alleged corruption activities at the Northern Development Authority (NDA) According to a letter sighted by Apexnewsgh.com, the Office of the Special Prosecutor has commenced an investigation into suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses in respect of the award of the consultancy service contract by the Northern Development Authority to the A&Q consortium. The letter further says: “You are directed to produce to the OSP all documents relating to the contractual relationship between Northern Development Authority and A&Q consortium including approval by public procurement Authority”. “You are directed to comply by close of business 7 July 2022” the letter concluded Meanwhile, the alleged corruption under OSP includes: 1. Sharing of COVID funds? 2. Registering official vehicles in individual names? 3. Wrong doing in the award of contract to A&Qs Consortium? The letter was signed by the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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Corruption number one barrier to sustainable dev’t – Swiss Ambassador Philipp Stalder and Kissi Agyebeng
Opinion

Corruption number one barrier to sustainable dev’t – Swiss Ambassador

Ambassador of Switzerland to Ghana, Philipp Stalder has met with Special Prosecutor Mr Kissi Agyebeng, to speak about the operationalisation of the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) since his appointment in July 2021. Mr Stalder noted that Switzerland strongly fights corruption globally and welcomes the establishment of effective and independent anti-corruption agencies. He noted that corruption is the number one barrier to sustainable development. The OSP serves as an independent investigating and prosecution body to make inquiries into corruption, bribery, or other criminal cases at the national level. —Classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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Kissi Agyebeng Nolle prosequi’s Martin Amidu’s tax evasion case against Mahama Ayariga
Politics

Kissi Agyebeng Nolle prosequi’s Martin Amidu’s tax evasion case against Mahama Ayariga

The Special Prosecutor Mr Kissi Agyebeng has dropped all charges brought against Bawku Central lawmaker Mahama Ayariga who was dragged to court for alleged tax evasion by his predecessor Martin Amidu. He said there were charges even pressed against the Bawku Central lawmaker. “We wish to inform the court of the republic’s intention to enter Nolle prosequi in respect of all cases against the accused person,” he told the court on Monday, October 11 and further gave reason for discontinuing the case. The first being that “upon further scrutiny, the Republic deem it unable to prove it case base on available evidence on the standard of proof on criminal bases – that is to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.” The second reason he said, that, “this case appears certain to suffer the same fate as the earlier one with case number FT0122019 the Republic vs Hawa Nichema and six others which were dismissed on May 7, 2021, on the application of submission of no case to answer.” The case was started by former Special Prosecutor Martin Alalmisi Burnes Kaiser Amidu, who resigned his position in 2020, just days after the demise of his mentor Jerry John Rawlings. Mr Amidu, Ghana’s first Special Prosecutor, had put the National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP on trial over two issues – breaching procurement processes in the purchase of some ambulances for his constituency and tax evasion in the importation of some “luxurious” vehicles. Despite standing trial with six others on the former, the former Youth and Sports Minister was acquitted and discharged on Friday, May 7. An Accra High Court presided over by Justice Afia Serwaah Asare-Botwe acquitted and discharged all seven after it upheld a submission of no case filed by the defence lawyers. Mahama Ayariga acquitted and discharged He is accused of abusing his office after clearing three Toyota V8 vehicles without paying tax. He is also sued for illegal transfer of foreign exchange from Ghana to Dubai without having the required license to undertake such transaction. Joined to the suit is one Kendrick Marfo, a car rental dealer, for purchasing the “fraudulent” vehicles from Mr Ayariga. Mr Marfo, 50, is also accused of deliberately evading tax in the purchase of the vehicles from the lawmaker. —citinews   Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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Martin Amidu didn’t get the kind of cooperation he needed to work  – Mahama
Opinion

Martin Amidu didn’t get the kind of cooperation he needed to work – Mahama

Former President, John Dramani Mahama has said, the first Special Prosecutor did not get the kind of cooperation he needed to be able to do the work. According to Mr. Mahama, the first special prosecutor, Martin Amidu complained of so many things and as a result, could not continue to succeed. However, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2020 General Elections believes that, if the current Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng is allowed by the government to do his appointed job, he will definitely succeed. “The first Special Prosecutor did not get the kind of cooperation he needed to be able to do the work that he had been given. We heard him complain about funding of the office, in terms of logistics and finance to recruit the kind of personnel that he needed to do the job,” ex-President Mahama said during his THANK YOU TOUR in Tamale on Thursday. He further pointed “We also heard many complaints where the executive and the political establishment had attempted to interfere in his job. The beauty of the Special Prosecutor is the independence of the office and his ability to investigate corruption notwithstanding whose ox is gored. When you take that independence away, it robs the office of its usefulness. We hope that those things will be corrected under this new Special Prosecutor.” Mr. Mahama is currently embarking on a THANK YOU TOUR across the regions of Ghana. Apexnewsgh.com/Ghana/Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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Agyebeng: ‘I’ll guard my independence jealously’ Kissi Agyebeng
Opinion

Agyebeng: ‘I’ll guard my independence jealously’

Special Prosecutor nominee Kissi Agyebeng has told parliament’s Appointments Committee during his vetting on Thursday, 22 July 2021 that he intends to guard his independence jealously in carrying out his made in terms of investigating, preventing, prosecuting corruption cases and managing seized, frozen or confiscated properties. In his view, the relevance of the OSP cannot be overemphasised and, thus, warned: “…The day we scrap this office is the day we say goodbye to our fight against corruption”. “Its relevance is borne out by its attributes and its uniqueness”, he argued, adding: “It is unique, as compared to all the other law enforcement agencies in respect of its mandate because no other institution has been carefully designed and thought-out to fight corruption specifically as Act 959 has done and Hon Chair, in respect of this, the office of the special prosecutor is the gold standard under the UN convention against corruption and the AU convention on the prevention and combatting of corruption”. “The international community, including Ghana ratified these conventions in the early 2,000s, I think 2002 if I’m not wrong, that every jurisdiction requires such a specialised agency, it should be made independent with a specialised trained staff to focus on the fight against corruption”, he observed. According to him, the OSP is relevant because the Attorney General “is a member of cabinet, he’s part of the government. How independent would he be in terms of certain individuals if they were to fall foul of the law if, for instance, they are also members of cabinet or members of the government?” “But in respect of the OSP, the person manning it, who is not part of the government machinery, who is independent; and Hon Chair, if given the nod, I’m going to guard my independence jealously,” he said. Mr Agyebeng also admitted to the committee that: “I am not naive to assume that I am coming to stop corruption”, adding: “There’s no way I can stop corruption”. “God himself will not acclaim to that but I am going to make corruption very costly to engage in”, Mr Agyebeng told the committee. Mr Agyebeng is the Chairman of the Electronic Communications Tribunal. Mr Agyebeng was nominated as Ghana’s second Special Prosecutor following the resignation of Mr Martin Amidu. Mr Amidu resigned from the position on 15 November 2020 citing interference by President Nana Akufo-Addo in his job. In a letter to the Presidency, Attorney General Godfred Dame said: “Kissi Agyebeng possesses the requisite expertise on corruption and corruption-related matters and is of high moral character and proven integrity and satisfies all the other requirements stipulated in section 13(1) and (2) of Act 959.” Section 13(8) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) requires the President to appoint a person qualified for appointment as Special Prosecutor to that position, within six months of the Office of Special Prosecutor becoming vacant. Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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I prefer to wear my own shoes as Amidu’s successor – Agyebeng Ex-Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu (L) and Special Prosecutor nominee Kissi Agyebeng (R)
Opinion

I prefer to wear my own shoes as Amidu’s successor – Agyebeng

Special Prosecutor nominee Kissi Adjabeng has said he prefers to be his own man rather than fll the shoes of his predecessor Mr Martin Amidu. The 43-year-old law lecturer told parliament’s Appointments Committee on Thursday, 22 July 2021: “I prefer to wear my own shoes in the sense that I am my own man and I am coming with my own experiences and professional training conscience and learning of the law as my strategy”. He also described claims made by Mr Amidu against him that he was a surrogate of the botched Agyapa deal, as “uninformed”. “I wasn’t involved in the deal. I was nowhere near it. Indeed, until it started coming up, I didn’t even know what it was”. According to him, “whoever says I am a surrogate of a law firm or implicates me in the Agyapa transaction clearly does not know me because if you know me, you wouldn’t make such allegations”. “All these things that came up, I took them as coming from uninformed positions because I was not involved in the Agyapa transaction in any form or manner.” Mr Amidu had said in a harangue that Mr Agyebeng’s closeness to Attorney General Godfred Dame and President Nana Akufo-Addo’s cousin, Mr Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, who owns Accra-based Asaase Radio and also co-founder of Africa Legal Associates, a law firm involved in the controversial Agyapa Royalties deal, would undermine his independence. “Asaase Radio should also have told the Ghanaian and international public that its surrogate and nominee Special Prosecutor in the published letter is a personal friend and classmate of the Attorney General, and the owner of Asaase Radio, all of whom attended the University of Ghana’s Faculty of Law, and Ghana Law School”, Mr Amidu wrote. “Asaase Radio and the nominator of the proposed new Special Prosecutor know or ought to have known the extent of the involvement of their surrogate as a lawyer for suspects in pending suspected corruption cases in which the government showed an undue interest in the Office of the Special Prosecutor, which I await to see how independently and impartially those cases will be handled to the conclusion should the President submit the name of the nominee to Parliament, he is approved, and then appointed,” Mr Amidu added. Mr Agyebeng, however, told the committee: “As for relationships, the fact that I was so close to you at some point in our lives would not give you the free pass because of that relationship”. “If there is a matter, I’m not going to say because I know one person or the other, I’m going to give the person a free pass”. “I’m certainly going to investigate, but the truth of the matter ought to be told.” “For the record, that is the truth, and so I am no one’s surrogate. I am my own man, and I prefer to wear my own shoes”, he noted. —classfm Please contact Apexnewsgh.com on email apexnewsgh@gmail.com for your credible news publications. Contact: 05555568093

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