The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has mounted a legal challenge against a High Court decision that acquitted and discharged Alexander Kwabena Sarfo Kantanka, the former nominee for Juaben Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) in the Ashanti Region, over a high-profile bribery case that drew national attention.

On May 26, 2025, the High Court in Kumasi cleared Sarfo Kantanka of all 26 counts of corruption filed against him in 2022.

The charges stemmed from a viral video in which the nominee was allegedly captured demanding refunds of bribes he had paid to assembly members who later failed to confirm his nomination.

However, in a bold move on June 26, the OSP filed an appeal against the ruling, arguing that the judgment failed to reflect the weight of the evidence presented.

In a public statement issued on Facebook, the anti-corruption agency stated that the trial judge “erred on key legal and factual issues,” making the acquittal legally untenable.

A Viral Video and a Political Scandal

The scandal broke in late 2021 when Alexander Sarfo Kantanka, after failing to secure the requisite votes to be confirmed as MCE in two successive voting rounds in September and November, was filmed confronting assembly members.

In the footage, Sarfo Kantanka was seen angrily demanding the return of monies he claimed to have paid them to ensure his confirmation.

The OSP later alleged that he had disbursed GH¢5,000 to each elected assembly member and GH¢2,500 to each government appointee—amounts purportedly offered as bribes to influence the outcome of the confirmation process.

The footage sparked public outrage, prompting swift investigative action from the newly established Office of the Special Prosecutor, which charged the nominee with multiple counts of corruption related to a public election.

Delays and Legal Setbacks

Though the trial commenced in 2022, it faced several delays, including the unexpected transfer of the presiding judge just before the initial judgment date in November 2024.

The case dragged on until May 2025 when the High Court eventually dismissed all charges and acquitted Sarfo Kantanka.

In its ruling, the court found that the video evidence presented did not conclusively establish a direct link between the alleged payments and the intent to bribe, concluding that the prosecution had failed to meet the burden of proof required for a conviction.

Unconvinced by the verdict, the OSP has now taken the matter to the Court of Appeal, indicating its firm belief that the ruling undermines efforts to combat political corruption in Ghana’s local governance system.

“The judgment is inconsistent with the weight of the evidence,” the OSP declared.

“We remain committed to ensuring accountability in public office and will pursue justice to its logical conclusion.”

The appeal represents a major test of the OSP’s prosecutorial strength and independence, especially in politically sensitive cases.

It also raises broader questions about the efficacy of Ghana’s legal system in confronting vote-buying and abuse of public trust.

While Sarfo Kantanka remains a free man for now, the next chapter of the legal battle may yet decide whether viral video evidence and whistleblower accounts are sufficient in prosecuting political corruption in Ghana.