CSOs urge Supreme Court to uphold legality of OSP

A coalition of 14 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has called on the Supreme Court to uphold the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as it prepares to deliver judgment in a landmark case challenging the legality of the anti-corruption institution.

The appeal follows the conclusion of final oral arguments in the case of Adamtey v. Attorney-General, in which the plaintiff is contesting the constitutionality of aspects of the law establishing the OSP.

The Supreme Court has scheduled July 29, 2026, to deliver its judgment after hearing final submissions from the parties on June 10, 2026.

In a statement issued on June 11, the CSOs described the OSP as a vital institution in Ghana's fight against corruption and stressed the need to preserve its mandate and independence.

According to the groups, the Office of the Special Prosecutor remains one of the country's most important anti-corruption bodies and plays a critical role in promoting accountability and transparency in public life.

The organisations were admitted by the Supreme Court as amici curiae (friends of the court), allowing them to file legal briefs and make submissions in support of the continued existence of the OSP.

At the hearing, the CSOs were represented by legal and governance advocates, including Kizito Beyuo, Samson Lardy Anyenini, Clement Kojo Akapame and Oliver Barker-Vormawor.

The groups expressed confidence in the legal arguments presented before the court and urged the justices to affirm the constitutionality of the OSP law.

“It is our hope that the Court will uphold the positions canvassed by the CSOs and affirm the constitutionality of the OSP law,” the statement said.

The coalition further noted that the Office of the Special Prosecutor was established through an Act of Parliament that enjoyed broad national support and remains central to Ghana's efforts to combat corruption.

“We also remind Ghanaians that the Office of the Special Prosecutor was established by an Act of Parliament passed with broad national consensus, and it remains one of the principal institutions on which Ghana’s anti-corruption effort depends,” the statement added.

The participating organisations include the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), Transparency International Ghana, the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition, IMANI Africa, Africa Education Watch, STAR-Ghana Foundation and several other governance-focused institutions.

The CSOs said they would provide further updates after the Supreme Court delivers its judgment later this year.