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OSP's Sammy Darko criticizes former Deputy Attorney General Joseph Kpemka's stance on prosecutorial powers
via GhanaWeb3 min read
Sammy Darko, Director of Strategy, Research and Communication at the Office of the Special Prosecutor OSP, has criticized former Deputy Attorney General Joseph Kpemka following a High Court ruling that declared OSP prosecutions null and void and directed their transfer to the Attorney General. Darko's remarks on Thursday, April 16, 2026, came after Kpemka defended the court's decision. Darko highlighted that Kpemka had previously represented clients in OSP-prosecuted cases, such as the Northern Development Authority case and the Mustapha Hamid case, without ever questioning the OSP's prosecutorial authority. Darko suggested that Kpemka's current position might be influenced by his clients' interests. Kpemka, in an interview on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, argued that the High Court ruling was not an interpretation of the law but rather a decision based on the OSP's non-compliance with statutory requirements, specifically the absence of authorization from the Attorney-General. He stated that the law requires the OSP to obtain authorization from the Attorney-General, and since this was not granted after the passage of Act 959, the judge ruled that the OSP lacked the power to prosecute. Kpemka added that it was the Special Prosecutor's responsibility to formally request this authorization or seek a court order to compel the Attorney-General to grant it.
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