Office of the Special Prosecutor led by Kissi Agyebeng has begun engagement with Civil Society Organizations involved in the fight against corruption in Ghana.
At the median engagement meeting in Accra, the CSOs shared their expectations for the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng also asked for cooperation from the CSOs particularly campaign on changing mindset on corruption and its related activities.
He re-iterated his team’s quest in building a credible office to led Ghana’s anti-corruption fight.
The OSP mandate.
According to Act 959, which establishes the Office of the Special Prosecutor, three main objectives are assigned to the office, namely:
(i) Investigate and prosecute alleged corruption or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences,
(ii) Recover the proceeds of corruption and corruption-related offences, and
(iii) Take steps to prevent corruption.
The functions entrusted to the Office are:
(a) The investigation and prosecution of cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences under the Public Procurement Act 2003 (Act 663);
(b) investigation and prosecution in cases of alleged corruption and corruption-related offences under the Criminal Offences Act 1960 (Act 29) involving public officers, politically exposed persons and individuals in the private sector involved in the commission of the offence;
(c) investigation an,d prosecution of cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers, politically exposed persons and persons in the private sector involved in the commission of the offence under any other relevant law;
(d) Recover and manage the proceeds of corruption;
(e) Disseminate information gathered in the course of investigation to competent authorities and other persons the Office considers appropriate in connection with the offences specified in paragraphs (a) and (b).
Also, the Office of Special Prosecutor is to:
(f) Co-operate and co-ordinate with competent authorities and other relevant local and international agencies to further the purpose of the act; and
(g) Receive and investigate complaints from any individual on a matter that involves or may involve corruption and corruption-related offences.
