Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu
The Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has lambasted former President John Dramani Mahama for dragging his office into partisan politics.
He has, thus, urged the flagbearer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to desist from such acts.
Martin Amidu gave the caution in a statement issued on Wednesday, following campaign promises made by Mr Mahama in relation to the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Mr Mahama is reported to have, among other things, said he won’t sack Mr Amidu or interfere with his work if he wins the December 7 polls.
Needless promises
“As the Special Prosecutor who personifies the Office of the Special Prosecutor, I find such statements patronizing, and needless within the objects, mandate and functions granted to the Office under the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
“These pronouncements constitute interferences with, and attempts to influence the independent mandate of this Office to investigate, and prosecute certain electoral offences apportioned to this Office under the law which constitute corruption and corruption-related offences as clearly stated in Section 79 of Act 959,” Mr Amidu said in the statement.
He explained that the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) does not allow for any interference in the duties of the Special Prosecutor, hence such promises by John Mahama are needless.
“Any Ghanaian worthy of putting himself forward as Presidential candidate for the up-coming elections should know the content of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) by now. He must know by now that under section 4 of Act 959, except as otherwise provided for in the 1992 Constitution, the Office is not subject to the direction or control of a person or an authority in the performance of the functions of the Office even when the Office acts upon the authority of the Attorney- General to initiate and conduct the prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences,” he said.
He added that as a Special Prosecutor, he does not need assurances from anybody of leaving him in Office when she or he wins the elections since the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (959) governs the situation.
“In any case, the position of Special Prosecutor is not one of servitude but of service. It is, therefore, needless for anybody to assume airs about what she or he will do with the Office or Martin Amidu when she or he wins the elections. The Office is an independent statutory anti-corruption agency and must be respected as such notwithstanding who for the time being holds the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” he said.
He continued, “Crime is crime. There is no need trying to politicize the work of the Office and linking its fate with election results. May be Ghanaians ought to revisit a few of the things I said on oath during my vetting for approval as Special Prosecutor by Parliament on 13th February 2018.”
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