On the back of the passage of the Special Prosecutor Bill, the National Democratic Congress Minority still harbours fears that the Special Prosecutor’s office could be used to hound its contingent.
“We have always had that fear. The Minority has always had the fear that this office can be used to witch-hunt political opponents,” the Ranking Member on Parliament’s Legal and Constitutional Affairs, Inusah Fuseini said to Citi News.
[contextly_sidebar id=”8rirW5fikPYcHs5VMGpdbpX94U0eCflW”]Speaking after the Bill was passed, Mr. Fuseini said the Special Prosecutor position was open to abuse like any other political appointment because, ultimately, the President is going to appoint the Special Prosecutor.
“I am not saying that it is not a political setup by the NPP for the purpose of the NPP. I am saying that it is a political office, established in pursuant of a political promise. It now becomes an institution of State because it is a political office and set up in pursuant to the Manifesto of the NPP, it can be abused,” he asserted.
“The Special prosecutor must not only look backward. It must also look to the present and future. It is not only the Minority that is concerned. Many people are concerned. History shows clearly that when the powers of such an office is not circumscribed in such a way that it respects the fundamental rights and freedoms of individuals, it can be abused.”
Though not directly related, the Akufo-Addo administration has indicated that it is building cases against officials in the Mahama administration who have been found to have wasted the public funds with impunity.
Deputy Attorney General, Joseph Kpemka, said on a Citi News platform that NDC officials who dared the New Patriotic Party government to prosecute suspected corrupt officials will soon be put before the court for their involvement in various scandals.
The setting up of the office of the Special Prosecutor was one of the key campaign promises made by President Nana Akufo-Addo.
The Special Prosecutor’s office will be independent of the Executive, and the newly passed Bill is expected to, among other things, define the modalities for the appointment and operations of the Special Prosecutor.
The office of the Special Prosecutor will have the mandate to investigate and prosecute cases of alleged corruption under the Public Procurement Act and other corruption-related offenses implicating public officers, political office holders and their accomplices in the public sector.
–
By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana