Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has caution former president John Dramani Mahama to quit dragging the Office of the Special Prosecutor into partisan politics.
He was reacting to Mahama’s promise that he’ll not interfere with his work if elected President.
In a statement, Amidu wrote, ““He [John Mahama] must know by now that under section 4 of Act 959, except as otherwise provided for in the 1992 Constitution, the Office is not subject to the direction or control of a person or an authority in the performance of the functions of the Office even when the Office acts upon the authority of the Attorney-General to initiate and conduct the prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences.”
See full statement below:
STOP DRAGGING THE OFFICE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR INTO PARTISAN
POLITICS: BY MARTIN A. B.K. AMIDU, THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR
I have read with dismay the deliberate efforts by certain Presidential candidates for the 2020
Elections to drag the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the person of the Special Prosecutor,
Martin Amidu, as he is referred to in their speeches and media publications, into their campaign
rhetoric to demonstrate their determination to prevent and fight corruption as a reason why the
electorate must consider them as the candidate of choice for the up-coming elections.
“I won’t sack Martin Amidu if I win – Mahama” was the banner headline on the Ghana Web
Politics of Tuesday, 20 th October 2020 with its source as Daily Mail. Then on the same Ghana
Web General News of Tuesday, 20 th October 2020 with the sources as Starr FM and Class FM, I
read that: “I will warn my appointees against messing with Amidu – Mahama” and “I’ll warn my
appointees against messing with Amidu, I won’ interfere with his work – Mahama”, respectively.
As the Special Prosecutor who personifies the Office of the Special Prosecutor, I find such
statements patronizing, and needless within the objects, mandate and functions granted to the
Office under the Office of the special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959). These pronouncements
constitute interferences with, and attempts to influence the independent mandate of this Office to
investigate, and prosecute certain electoral offences apportioned to this Office under the law
which constitute corruption and corruption-related offences as clearly stated in Section 79 of Act
959.
Any Ghanaian worthy of putting himself forward as Presidential candidate for the up-coming
elections should know the content of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) by
now. He must know by now that under section 4 of Act 959, except as otherwise provided for in
the 1992 Constitution, the Office is not subject to the direction or control of a person or an
authority in the performance of the functions of the Office even when the Office acts upon the
authority of the Attorney- General to initiate and conduct the prosecution of corruption and
corruption-related offences. It is also clearly stated that the Board of the Office shall not interfere
in the day to-day functions of the Office. This independence of the Office in the performance of
the functions of the Office is reinforced when Act 959 gives the Special Prosecutor full authority
and control over the investigation, initiation and conduct of proceedings under subsection (1) of
section 3 which spells out the functions of the Office.
Every adult Ghanaian knows who sued the nominee for the Office of the Special Prosecutor in
January 2018 even before he could be considered for approval by Parliament. The record of
proceedings and the media published the names of the cohort of lawyers who supported and
argued the case against the Attorney-General and Martin Alamisi Amidu until Martin Alamisi
Amidu’s name was struck out from the suit. There is no reasonable Ghanaian who does not know
those who condemned the Supreme Court’s decision in the media and continue to do so. The
Supreme Court has settled the matter with its final and authoritative decision in favour of the
Attorney-General. Before the decision of the Supreme Court one could make statements of
speculation about what one would allow the Office to do or not to do. The Office of the Special
Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) as interpreted by the Supreme Court is not negotiable and
nobody can mess with that Office unless the Special Prosecutor abdicates his independence and
surrenders the functions of his Office to politicians.
As the Special Prosecutor I do not need assurances from anybody of leaving me in Office when
she or he wins the elections. The Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (959) governs the
situation. In any case the position of Special Prosecutor is not one of servitude but of service. It
is, therefore, needless for anybody to assume airs about what she or he will do with the Office or
Martin Amidu when she or he wins the elections. The Office is an independent statutory anti-
corruption agency and must be respected as such notwithstanding who for the time being holds
the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Crime is crime. There is no need trying to politicize the work of the Office and linking its fate
with election results. May be Ghanaians ought to revisit a few of the things I said on oath during
my vetting for approval as Special Prosecutor by Parliament on 13 th February 2018. The
following stands out and can either be read or listened to when one Google’s: “Thieves fear
investigators they cannot influence”. I told Parliament, inter alia, that:
“Thieves fear experienced, credible and tested investigators whom they cannot influence. That is
the way to reduce crime. When they know the investigator is very experienced, credible, and has
the capacity to find wrong, they will not do it. This country is not a milking cow. It is for the
people of this country, particularly, the downtrodden, the poor ones. I am saying that that is my
position, and it will be. I am saying that whether I am approved or not I will continue to fight for
the people of this country.
….If you go and look at the agreements I reviewed, they will tell you, I say it as it is. This is not
in the national interest and, therefore, don’t do it.”
have a Constitutional right as a citizen of Ghana to continue my crusade against corruption
whether as Special Prosecutor or a citizen of Ghana as I stated on oath to Parliament. I do not
need a public office to continue to fight corruption. I used to crusade against corruption more
effectively before accepting to be appointed as the Special Prosecutor. I do not need any
patronage and I do not think the Office of the Special Prosecutor as an independent statutory
anti-corruption agency needs one. My position at my vetting by Parliament is no different from
what the Secretary General Antonio Guterres is reported to have said to the United Nations
General Assembly in commemoration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the United Nations:
“Corruption is criminal, immoral and the ultimate betrayal of public trust.” I repeat: “This
country is not a milking cow. It is for the people of this country, particularly, the downtrodden,
the poor ones. I am saying that that is my position, and it will be” no matter who becomes the
President of Ghana. Ghana First!
Source: GhanaFeed.com
