'There was no need for Supreme Court’s interpretation, OSP-AG dispute was just an ego clash' – Dr. Asante-Otchere
Executive Director of the African Institute of Strategic Studies, Dr Jonathan Asante-Otchere, has described the legal contest over the prosecutorial powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) as an avoidable dispute fuelled more by institutional rivalry than genuine constitutional concerns.
He said the disagreement between the OSP and the Office of the Attorney General could have been prevented through stronger collaboration and coordination between the two institutions, which he believes are working towards the same national objective.
According to Dr Asante-Otchere, both offices have a shared responsibility to protect public resources, fight corruption and promote accountability, and therefore should focus on cooperation rather than asserting competing authority.
“If you do not have an OSP that is coordinating with the Attorney General, not necessarily being subservient to that office, but there is the need for that coordination because we are fighting the same battle and what is that battle, to ensure that the state do not lose out in terms of resources and finances.
“We are on the same page because we are all prosecuting and fighting for a common good and so there is that need for coordination. In actual fact, there was no need for the Supreme Court’s interpretation, I think it was just an ego clash,” he said.
Dr Asante-Otchere made the comments while speaking on The Big Issue on Channel One TV on Saturday, August 1, following the Supreme Court’s decision on the extent of the OSP’s prosecutorial powers.
The Supreme Court ruled that the OSP has the authority to prosecute criminal offences that fall within its mandate but held that the Attorney General, under the Constitution, maintains the power to discontinue or terminate criminal proceedings at any stage.
The ruling has reignited discussions about the relationship between the two institutions and the need for clearer coordination in handling corruption-related cases.
Dr Asante-Otchere maintained that the fight against corruption would be strengthened if state institutions worked together rather than engage in disputes over jurisdiction and authority.