President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo will in the coming days announce the nomination of legal practitioner Kissi Adjebeng as Special Prosecutor, the state-owned Daily Graphic reports.

Kissi Adjebeng who is the Chairman of the Electronic Communications Tribunal is set to become the leader of the office which had Martin Amidu as its first occupant.

Martin Amidu, it will be recalled resigned on November 15, 2020 after levelling a number of allegations against President Akufo-Addo including his description of him as the ‘mother serpent of corruption’.

The President per section 13(8) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act is mandated to appoint a new Special Prosecutor within six months after the position has become vacant.

The OSP Mandate

Act 959, which establishes the Office of the Special Prosecutor, spells out three main objectives of 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.

Functions of the OSP

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 of cases of alleged corruption and corruption related offences under the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) involving public officers, politically exposed persons and persons in the private sector involved in the commission of the offence;

Other functions

(c) investigation and 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);

The Office of Special Prosecutor is to further: (f) co-operate and coordinate with competent authorities and other relevant local and international agencies in furtherance of the Act; and (g) receive and investigate complaints from a person on a matter that involves or may involve corruption and corruption-related offences.