Story: Yaw Takyi

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo, has advised the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, to exercise patience in his work and not rush to please anyone.

Prof. Gyampo believes that the arrest of the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation was disrespectful and unnecessary.

Prof. Gyampo in a statement acknowledged that the Special Prosecutor has the right to invite Prof. Frimpong Boateng to assist in investigating the issues raised in his report, which was privately submitted to the President.

However, he emphasized that Prof. Frimpong Boateng should not be arrested without being charged, as it is disrespectful and constitutes an unnecessary show of power and harassment.

“I do not believe in this Special Prosecutor arrangement. I researched for the team that produced the first-ever document that called for the review of the 1992 Constitution. We made recommendations for an Independent Prosecutor and never a Special Prosecutor who would walk in the shadows of a partisan Attorney-General.

“The Special Prosecutor must therefore tone down on his youthful exuberance and must not be rushing to please anybody because, the office is not independent after all, from the control of politicians. We asked for the separation of the Attorney General from the Ministry of Justice and the creation of an Independent Public Prosecutor who cannot be ordered by the Attorney General to pursue a case or discontinue it.”

“This notwithstanding, the Special Prosecutor has every right to invite Prof Frimpong Boateng to assist in getting to the bottom of some of the issues raised in his report, which he never published, but privately submitted to the President. Indeed he can be invited to assist in investigations but he cannot be arrested without being charged. It is disrespectful and an unnecessary show of power as well as harassment to Prof Frimpong Boateng,” Prof. Gyampo disclosed in a statement.

Prof. Gyampo’s comments followed the revelation that the former Chairman of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) was invited to answer questions about suspected corruption and corruption-related offences related to the activities and expenditure of the IMCIM.

In an interview with Joy News, the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation pointed out that, “If I am prosecuted, I am not scared. Why should I be scared? I do not see any possibility of me being convicted. But look, in this life, the Son of God Jesus Christ was convicted and killed.”

Professor Frimpong-Boateng, who authored a bombshell report exposing supposed efforts by some persons to undermine the government’s fight against illegal mining (galamsey), said: “If bad people want to kill you, they know what to do to kill you. If people who have the power to do things want to ditch you, they will know how to do it because it happens. So whatever you are doing, we should be careful that we are doing everything in the interest of Ghana.”