It appears the controversy over an alleged leaked list of cases being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is far from over.
Even though the Board Chairperson of the OSP, Linda Ofori-Kwafo has questioned the authenticity of the list, she has nonetheless blamed moles in the Office for leaking the information to the public.
According to her, it should be a cause for concern for all Ghanaians if the list was authentic as it would mean that there was a mole in the office leaking information not meant for the public yet.
“The list that is supposed to come out, according to the law, is a list of investigated cases. So if anyone puts out a list of cases being investigated and others yet to be, it is not right,” Mrs Ofori-Kwafo stated during a roundtable discussion organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana).
CDD organised the event together with its partners the African Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA), the Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC), which are also partners in the project, Corruption Watch.
Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the OSP Board Chair to institute a probe to fish out the moles behind the leaked cases at the Office.
Speaking to THE CUSTODIAN on condition of anonymity, some staff at the OSP have challenged Mrs Ofori-Kwafo who is also Executive Director of Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII), local chapter of Transparency International, and her Board to set up a committee to investigate the matter.
According to them, they would not like the suspicion of being moles at a critical anti-corruption body like the OSP to hang on their necks.
Some media outlets recently published a list of 26 high-profile individuals in previous and current governments, purportedly being investigated by the OSP for alleged corrupt practices, which generated deep controversy in the country.
Former President John Dramani Mahama is said to be on the list for allegedly using public office for private benefit even though his case is yet to be assigned to an investigator.
Mr. Mahama’s case allegedly involves the diversion of $13 million E.O. Group Money meant for a national project.
Other names mentioned as being under investigations at the OSP were a former Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Mr Mahama Ayariga for suspected breaches in the procurement of some ambulances, and a former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, for the misappropriation of public funds.
Test the law
The OSP Board Chair entreated Ghanaians to test the supposed list against the law laid out in Section 3 (3) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act 2018 (Act 959).
Per the Act, Mrs Ofori-Kwafo was made a member and subsequently the chair of the 9-Board of the OSP because she represented the civil society.
She indicated that as the chair of the board, she did not know about current investigations at the Office, neither did any board member.
“If we knew, that would amount to interference in the operations of the office,” she said.
Mrs. Ofori-Kwafo said the board was not involved in the day-to-day administration of the office as anything to the contrary would amount to undermining the independence of the office.
“I know the expectation of Ghanaians is to see some prosecutions; however, we must make sure that the office works procedurally,” she stated.
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Source- The Custodian
