Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, has expressed concerns about the approach being used by the government and the Office of the Special Prosecutor in handling corruption-related investigations involving former government appointees.
Speaking in an interview on recent developments surrounding the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Afenyo-Markin said Ghana’s democracy has long struggled with issues of corruption and accountability, making it necessary for state institutions to operate independently and fairly.
According to him, the administration of former President Nana Akufo-Addo and former Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia established the OSP as an independent body to investigate corruption and corruption-related offences.
He noted that special prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng was able to investigate matters involving the very government that appointed him without interference.
Afenyo-Markin cited the Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML) case, which emerged following an investigation by The Fourth Estate, as an example of the OSP’s independent work under the previous administration.
“There was no such interference by the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration,” he stated.
The minority leader, however, criticized the current government’s handling of some corruption-related cases, particularly the decision by the attorney general to enter nolle prosequi in ongoing criminal trials involving some accused persons.
According to him, the decision undermined the government’s “reset agenda” because the accused persons were discharged instead of allowing the judicial process to continue.
“That is the first point of failure,” he stressed.
Afenyo-Markin further accused the government of resorting to what he described as “media trials,” where public announcements are made about alleged crimes without due process being followed to a conclusion.
He maintained that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) is not opposed to investigations into former appointees; however, he argued that the party’s concern lies with what he described as “subtle persecution” and the overall approach being adopted in the investigations.
“They started with this media trial where they would make huge announcements, big announcements. There is crime here; there is crime there. For me, all of us as politicians must know that once we get into public office and we exit, there will be a day of accountability,” he said.
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