Story: News Desk

The Office of Special Prosecutor has been barred from effecting any warrant allowing it to arrest the former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue.

The court presided over by Justice Nicholas Abodakpi has also asked the OSP not to apply for a further warrant of arrest until the case filed by Mr Bissue is determined.

The OSP has for more than 2 weeks been trying to interrogate Mr. Bissue for his role on the anti-galamsey committee. The office has declared him wanted but he is yet to show up despite assuring he will do so.

His lawyers on Thursday morning urged the High Court to injunct the OSP.

Lead counsel Nana Adjei Awuah told the court the OSP had issued a notice declaring his client wanted. He argued such a notice has no place in law since his client had not been slapped with any charges.

He also provided the court documents indicating various interactions Mr. Bissue had had with the investigative body. He insisted such a person cannot be declared wanted.

The court granted the request barring the OSP from executing any warrant procured.

He is also barred from applying for another warrant and publishing notices until the determination of the case. This order is to last for 10 days.

The OSP is however not backing down in its quest to engage Mr. Bissue. Sources within the office tell JoyNews they do not need a warrant to arrest a person reasonably believed to have committed an offence.

Sources also explained that a person published as wanted simply means that person has refused, ignored or neglected to attend to the summon of the investigative body.