Anas Work Is Revelation Of Missing Link In Our Policing Institutions

Believe me, as it is, that Anas Aremeyaw Anas investigative work, though patriotically crucial and well-intended for exposing the rot in developing countries like ours, his endeavours could be deemed "extrapolation" or injudicial

He is well trained and highly equipped with pertinently sophisticated logistics. His exploits include solid investigative work which goes beyond boundaries. He has worked in cooperation and coordination with internationally recognised news agencies and Media Houses, including Al Jazeera, CNN and BBC

His recent investigative pieces without borders, include documentations of baby factories in Nigeria. In which quack doctors and fake medical practitioners were rounded up. Then came his undercover work of the rot of Ghanaian judicial system. In the middle of these are remarkable unraveling of gigantic corrupt practices and malfeasance being proliferate and pervasive on national stage

The irony is that, the centrepiece of all these revelations is "ordinary" journalist. This brings to bear the work of the police force. What exactly is the role of the CID or BNI in fight against corruption? These benchmark covertly investigative revelations should rather be the work of CID or BNI than that of Mr Anas. In real sense, Mr. Anas exposé brings to light or exposes (pardon the pun) the grotesque inefficiency and the hollowness of the police administration.

"In any functioning democracy, the bulk falls on the police force". Dr. Michael Jarvis Bokor, a US-based Ghanaian public opinion intellectual, eloquently put it. The calmness at which those captured in the footage are at the "business" in the leaked investigative piece is a telling the state at which corruption practiced in Ghana is rampant. And police administration's helplessness to confront menace which is endemic

Gone are the days, when the former military leader, JJ Rawlings would perversely slapped his cabinet members in show of strong man as means of fighting corruption and political malfeasance. But former US president Barack Obama (20/01/2009-20/01/2017) decried that as a mockery of democracy and strong institutions when he paid official visit to Ghana

In other words, the success of corruption fight depends largely on solid systemic arrangement not on strong man. As much as we appreciate the job of Mr. Anas, he has no mandate and the necessary resources for the feat. He is not the authority charged to that work

Viewed from international perspective, it is preposterous, if not paradoxical the reason why it has to take a team led by an investigative journalist in leading the way in fight against corruption while the police administration looks on hopelessly. This will nonetheless be tantamount for neo-colonial powers milking national resources to plug in the systemic loopholes to grip on "comprador bourgeoisie" - according to Prof. Patrick Lumumba - to further their imperial desires and interests on national scene. The sloppy police administration gives the leeway. The current investigative piece is just a simulation, the real corrupt practices are out there

Putatively elsewhere, it is the duty of policemen, the Criminal Investigation Department and Bureau of National investigation: CID & BNI (intelligence service), to engage in such investigations. In some cases, when the investigation gets tough, judicial organs lend in hand. There, is where we have the so-touted "court warrant or subpoena"

Get the point here that Anas and his team of Eagle Eye PI is not authoritative entity like police administration. Hence cannot be issued with court warrant. What this apparently means is that; his findings in most cases are not admissible in court of law. As the evidence are considered to be tainted or can be manipulated. That is why, the miscreants or culprits caught on those tapes go unscathed. As they are merely fired or forced to resign without proper prosecutions

Justice Dery in judicial scandal, is aware of this (constitutional rights), consequently described Anas work as invasion of his personal privacy. As to be expected threatened of legal actions but halfheartedly let go due to enormous embarrassment the publicity brought to that effect

I have not read the reasons given by Mr. George Loh, a member of constitutional, legal and parliamentary committee and public accounts, to effect that the directive of the President Nana Addo to CID to effect the arrest of Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi would not prosper. But is obvious from the contradictions of the reportage as to how CID is handling the "Nyantakyi saga"

Some reports indicate that the president of Ghana Football Association is arrested while others suggest that he is merely being questioned by the CID. The truth of the matter is CID cannot arrest Mr. Nyantakyi, at least, so quick. Because, they apparently lack evidence despite the overwhelming evidence available through Anas work. The CID can now arrest Mr. Nyantakyi after they have conducted their own investigation. Or better still try to legitimate or authenticate the journalistic revelations, which in some cases proves futile. The case would have been different had the CID started the investigation themselves from the get go. Those are the legal nexus

This is not to suggest that investigation is of not part of journalism. Of course it is, but for those cases that lacks obvious leads or those that fall within the sovereign jurisdiction of other nations where there is no a clean cut evidence to lobby cooperation of sovereign authorities. One typical example is presidential Ford Expedition. Though it turns out to be hogwash, in his effort, Mr. Manasseh Awuni Azure tried very hard to bring the investigation to doorstep of Ghana police service

Ironically, the much hyped and probably the spur-of-the-moment Special Prosecutor Office that ought to be the catalyst of exposing these corrupt activities, for which it has been established, has gone lull

In other words, just as any other state institution, the largely resourced Special Prosecutor Office, with budgetary allocation, risks of becoming a white elephant, just as existing anti-corruption institutions, without huge stake of police investigative support of the type Anas, the way to go!

Richard Agobodzo
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