Special Prosecutor Will Only Be A State Attorney--Mahama Teases

Former President John Mahama says the office of the soon to be appointed Special Prosecutor is no better than that of a state attorney.

He said the office has nothing special about it to be referred to as “special prosecutor.”

The president was speaking to supporters of the NDC who converged in Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region for a unity walk Saturday.

The president Nana Akufo-Addo has assented to the Special Prosecutor’s bill which was passed by Parliament late last year after months of controversy.

He is however yet to approve the potential nominee of the Special Prosecutor to be suggested by the Attorney General.

There are reports linking Akoto Ampaw, a fearless advocate who was part of the presidential petition in the 2012 election petition to the job but nothing concrete has been confirmed yet.

Even before the appointment will be made, ex-president John Mahama doubts the significance of the office and the role it will play in fighting corruption.

“The special prosecutor is like any other state attorney,” he told a crowd of NDC supporters in Brong Ahafo Region.

In a rather sarcastic jab, the ex-president said “did we go or did we come” as a country.

Outlining the challenges of the Attorney General’s position, he said because the AG is appointed by the president it is always difficult for him or her to prosecute persons within the same government.

He said it was therefore important to get a truly independent prosecutor, not one to be influenced by the Attorney General.

He cited the case of the delta force attack on the court early this year, a case in which the AG had to file a nolle prosequi.

He suggested the situation would not have ended that way if there was a truly independent prosecutor.

He insisted the person soon to be appointed as the independent prosecutor cannot be any special.

Story by Ghana|Myjoyonline.com|Nathan Gadugah