Nii Ayikoi Otoo, former Attorney General under the Kufuor administration, has advised the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to file appeals instead of holding press conferences to criticize judges’ dismissive rulings in corruption cases.
His comments come in response to the OSP’s recent expression of concern over the increasing trend of such rulings, which it fears could hinder the fight against corruption.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, November 29, Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng expressed alarm at the “growing hasty dismissiveness and lack of regard” for corruption cases, which he believes could severely impede the OSP’s ability to fulfil its mandate.
Mr Agyebeng highlighted four specific cases that exemplified this trend, including the acquittal of Cecilia Dapaah, a former government official, in a corruption case and the refusal of a court order to freeze the estate of former NPP General Secretary, Kojo Owusu Afriyie, despite mounting allegations of corruption against his estate.
Speaking in an interview on Eyewitness News on Citi FM on Tuesday, Mr Ayikoi Otoo said “To me, I do not think that it is necessary for him to lament and to hold press conferences. I mean when a lawyer goes to court and he loses a case, if you believe strongly that the judges committed errors in coming to that conclusion, all you need to do is to file an appeal.”
He added, “He (Special Prosecutor) is completely wrong, he should have done that…Instead of going on appeal, you sit and cry to a press. What does he want the press to do for him? That is very disappointing on his part.”
Meanwhile, the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, during proceedings in Parliament on Tuesday, stated that the law establishing the OSP was an act of futility.
