Betty Mould-Iddrisu questions relevance of OSP, says it was set up for political prosecutions

Betty Mould-Iddrisu, a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, has expressed her reservations about the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), undermining its significance by suggesting that it was established for political prosecutions.

According to her, there are already existing institutions in place to combat corruption, and the OSP only serves to diminish the power of the Attorney General.

Established in 2018, the OSP was intended to be the flagship specialised independent anti-corruption institution in Ghana, aligning with the United Nations Convention Against Corruption. Its primary purpose is to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption-related offenses in both the public and private sectors, recover the proceeds of such acts, and take preventive measures against corruption.

During an exclusive interview with Korku Lumor on the Class Morning Show (CMS) on class91.3fm, Betty Mould-Iddrisu expressed her disagreement with the OSP, stating, "the OSP is not an office that I've ever agreed with because I believe that it was set up, if you ask me quite frankly, for political prosecutions."

In her perspective, there are sufficient structures within the Ministry of Justice and the Attorney General's office to handle corruption cases.

She mentioned the criminal code and the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) as examples of existing institutions that can effectively address corruption.

Moreover, Betty Mould-Iddrisu argued that the establishment of the OSP has eroded the power of the Attorney General. She voiced her belief that the name "Office of Special Prosecutor" implies that there is something requiring special attention, and she sees it as unnecessary.

While acknowledging the presence of corruption, she questioned the effectiveness of the OSP in tackling widespread corruption issues faced in everyday life, such as driving on the streets or entering public buildings. She suggested that the focus of the OSP may be on high-profile cases involving individuals from specific political parties, rather than effectively addressing pervasive corruption.

Betty Mould-Iddrisu is skeptical about the Office of the Special Prosecutor and its ability to bring about tangible benefits in the fight against corruption.

She believes that existing institutions and laws are sufficient for handling corruption cases and expressed concerns about the potential misuse of the OSP for political purposes.

-Classfmonline