Martin Kpebu cautions President Mahama against intervening in Special Prosecutor's legal battle
via GhanaWeb2 min read
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has advised President John Dramani Mahama not to interfere in the ongoing legal dispute concerning the powers of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng. Kpebu stated in an interview on TV3’s The KeyPoints that some Civil Society Organisations are reportedly urging President Mahama to protect Kissi Agyebeng. He emphasized that any action taken by the president in this matter would be remembered and urged him to allow legal processes to unfold. Kpebu highlighted that the Office of the Special Prosecutor currently faces numerous issues hindering its effectiveness, suggesting that the focus should be on addressing these systemic problems rather than protecting an individual. This caution follows a High Court ruling in Accra that stripped the OSP of its prosecutorial powers. On April 15, 2026, the court directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, to assume responsibility for all cases previously handled by the OSP until prosecutorial authorization is granted. This development stems from a challenge by Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Justice Srem Sai, who filed arguments on April 8, 2026, asking the Supreme Court to declare Section 42 of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 unconstitutional. This section requires the Attorney General to authorize the Special Prosecutor to initiate and conduct prosecutions for corruption and related offenses. The Deputy Attorney General noted that
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by GhanaWeb.
Must ReadThe prosecutorial powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor OSP are under public debate after a High Court in Accra directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to take over OSP cases until prosecutorial authorization is granted. The Deputy Attorney General and Minister of Justice has also asked the Supreme Court to declare Section 42 of the OSP Act unconstitutional. This section states that the OSP requires authorization from the Attorney-General to prosecute corruption offenses, subject to Article 884 of the Constitution, which allows the Attorney General or an authorized person to prosecute offenses. Article 883 of the Constitution states that the Attorney General is responsible for all criminal prosecutions. During his 2021 parliamentary vetting for the Special Prosecutor role, Kissi Agyebeng, in response to a question from Member of Parliament Mahama Ayariga, stated that the OSP law was "clearly problematic, constitutionally." He identified Article 883 as the source of the problem and noted that Parliament attempted to reconcile this with the OSP Act in a "side-wind fashion." Agyebeng indicated his readiness to collaborate with Parliament to address these issues.
President John Dramani Mahama has launched the construction of a 24-hour Economy Market in Bimbilla during his “Resetting Ghana” tour of the Northern Region. This initiative fulfills a key campaign promise from the NDC manifesto and is part of a nationwide effort to establish modern markets in all 261 districts. The project aims to stimulate round-the-clock economic activity, strengthen local commerce, and enhance the connection between agricultural production and market access. President Mahama highlighted the central role of markets in economic life, noting that farming without market access undermines the economic value of production. The Bimbilla facility, identified as a large model market, will feature ten warehouses, clinics, fire and police posts, banking services, crèches, and food outlets to support 24-hour operations and improve safety and convenience. Given Bimbilla’s strong agricultural base in yam, maize, beans, and groundnut, the market is expected to reduce post-harvest losses, stabilize prices, and improve farmer incomes through expanded processing and distribution. The President emphasized that the project will create jobs and strengthen the agricultural value chain, calling for quality execution. The District Assembly will manage and maintain the facility. He also clarified that distributed tricycles and motorbikes are for outreach, vaccination delivery, and community-based preventive healthcare, not ambulances.
Kwame Asare Obeng, also known as A Plus, Member of Parliament for Gomoa Central, has stated that his support for Ghana's 2028 presidential election will be based on former President John Mahama's endorsement. In an interview, A Plus indicated that he would back any individual Mahama recommends, explaining that his allegiance is directly linked to Mahama's guidance. He emphasized that Mahama's experience and understanding of Ghana's political landscape would inform his choice of a successor to continue his work. A Plus reiterated that if he were to support anyone for president after John Mahama, it would be the person Mahama advises supporting, as Mahama "knows his people" and who would continue "the good work that he’s doing."
The Deputy Attorney General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has affirmed his office's commitment to securing a conviction against former National Signals Bureau Director-General, Kwabena Adu-Boahene. Adu-Boahene and his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, face charges including causing financial loss to the state, money laundering, and theft, in connection with an alleged GH¢49 million cybersecurity contract scandal. Defence counsel Samuel Atta Akyea stated that their team will rely strictly on verifiable facts. Despite criticism regarding prosecution delays, Dr Srem-Sai expressed confidence in gathering sufficient evidence for a conviction, as reported by TV3. This case is part of broader scrutiny on the government's anti-corruption efforts.