The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng is being accused of harassing the former Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue over an ongoing investigation in the works of the dissolved IMCIM. Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, the counsel for Mr Bissue avers the Special Prosecutor, has been acting in a manner that defiles his client’s human rights.
This reaction comes after media reports of an arrest warrant secured by the Office of the Special Prosecutor against Charles Bissue. According to Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah Esq., the warrant is without merit given the circumstances that surround the matter.
“The OSP invited Mr Bissue to appear before it for investigation in respect of the IMCIM’s work. Charles Bissue requested to be excused to deal with some pressing domestic matter to enable him attend to this invitation a week later than the date [22 May 2023] he was expected. But that was declined.
“In our response to that invitation, Mr Bissue requested to be furnished with specific complaints or petition on which basis he is being investigated to enable him respond appropriately but the SP declined and proceeded with this threat. The SP has resisted persistently our request for copies of the petition till date. How could someone be subjected to such treatment? This is how he’s been acting towards us,” he said in an interview on Ekossiisen Show.
He explained that it was rather strange the Special Prosecutor would hasten to threaten Mr. Bissue with an arrest when the latter had demonstrated his cooperation with investigation into the works of the IMCIM. Lawyer Baffour Awuah stressed that the Special Prosecutor has proven by its actions how desperate he is about investigating and prosecuting Mr Bissue in respect of the work of the IMCIM.
“I was surprised about this. Why is he so desperate in this matter involving Charles Bissue? We are already in court. So why is he so desperate about it?”
Lawyer Baffour Awuah mentioned that a motion has been filed to restrain the Special Prosecutor from arresting and prosecuting Mr Bissue over this matter. He emphasized that the Special Prosecutor has resorted to intimidation and abuse of his client’s human rights in matters of investigation concerning Mr Bissue and the IMCIM.
He indicated that there are three cases pending a determination by the court that involve the OSP and Mr Bissue in respect of the galamsey fraud and the latter’s work at the IMCIM. He remarked that the Special Prosecutor “is not above the law, and must be a respecter of the fundamental human rights.”
“The 1992 constitution was not granted for the OSP to be intimidating people. That era of human rights abuse was replaced by the 1992 constitution. The SP is rather working against it. The exercise of proper discretion could have informed him to hold on until a determination of the matter by the court,” he added.
