Martin Kpebu demands removal of OSP officials over SML–GRA prosecutions
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu is calling for the dismissal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng and two senior officials of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), following the office’s decision to file charges against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and others over the controversial revenue assurance contracts between the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML).
On Tuesday, November 18, the OSP filed 78 charges against eight individuals, including former GRA Commissioners-General Dr. Ammishaddai Owusu-Amoah and Emmanuel Kofi Nti, senior officials Isaac Crentsil and Kwadwo Damoa, former Finance Ministry Technical Advisor Ernest Akore, SML owner Evans Adusei, and the company itself, SML.
The OSP says months of investigations uncovered alleged corruption, abuse of office, and procurement breaches in how the contracts were awarded and executed. Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng maintains that the evidence gathered “points to criminal conduct” at multiple stages of the contracting process.
Speaking on Eyewitness News with Umaru Sanda Amadu, Mr. Kpebu said he has no confidence in Agyebeng’s ability to successfully prosecute Ofori-Atta. He accused the Special Prosecutor of incompetence, claiming he failed to arrest the former minister despite allegedly being aware of his travel plans.
Mr. Kpebu further demanded the removal of Sammy Darko, Director of Strategy, Research, and Communications at the OSP, and Albert Akurugu, the office’s Lead Investigator.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor should stay, but Kissi Agyebeng must go. Albert Akurugu and Sammy Darko should get out of that office. Sammy Darko runs errands for Kissi Agyebeng. If Kissi Agyebeng is leaving, his right men must follow him.
He argued that keeping the two officials in office would create vulnerabilities, “They will be moles if left there. Kissi Agyebeng has to go; we can never trust him. You see the number one suspect and you allow him to escape,” he said.
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