The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has disclosed that it is currently looking into more than 120 cases where corruption is suspected.
In a half-year report issued in accordance with Section 3(3) of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), which requires the Office to publish cases it is investigating or prosecuting on a semi-annual basis, the OSP stated that the cases include the alleged bribery by Airbus SE, an European multinational aerospace corporation, in respect of the sale and purchase of military aircraft for the Republic of Ghana.
An investigation into the banking and financial sector crisis, as well as allegations of attempted bribery of Members of Parliament by an unnamed wealthy businessman, are among the other high-profile cases named.
Other cases under investigation include the alleged improper acquisition of state-protected land at the Achimota Forest enclave and the Sakumono Ramsar site by the deceased former Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, as well as an investigation into suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses in the recruitment exercise for Course 51 of Cadet Officers Training at the Ghana Police Academy.
“The Office is also investigating one hundred and twenty (120) other cases at various levels of consideration. These would be publicized if the Special Prosecutor determines that they are within the mandate of the Office and that they should be moved past the preliminary investigation stage.
“This is a policy intended to protect the privacy of individuals and the business operations of institutions and companies, and to avoid unnecessary stigmatization,” the report by the Special Prosecutor stated.
According to Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor, the Office has finished looking into allegations that Charles Bissue used his position as secretary of the former Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) for financial gain.
These allegations were based on the Galamsey Fraud Part I investigative documentary, which was released by Tiger Eye P.I. and the investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas.
The Special Prosecutor also disclosed that it had completed its investigations into alleged corruption and offenses related to corruption in relation to a contract for consulting services under the Infrastructure for Poverty Eradication Programme (IPEP) given to A&QS Consortium Limited by the Northern Development Authority, particularly with regard to the amount of the contract sum.
the report added that instructions and further action regarding closed cases will be issued in due course by the Special Prosecutor or another authorized officer.
