President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on Thursday swore in Kissi Agyebeng as Ghana’s Special Prosecutor who takes over from Martin Alamisi Amidu, who resigned from the position in November 2020.
On Friday, 30th July 2021, Parliament approved Kissi Agyebeng’s nomination as special prosecutor after the Appointments Committee of Parliament had unanimously recommended him for approval.
Kissi Agyebeng, 43, is a private legal practitioner who, according to Ghana’s Attorney-General, Godfred Dame, “possesses the requisite expertise on corruption and corruption-related matters.
“He is of high moral character and proven integrity and satisfies all the other requirements stipulated in section 13(1) and (2) of Act 959,” Godfred Dame had said.
But for his critics, Kissi Agyebeng does not carry a lot of clout for the position of Special Prosecutor, unlike his predecessor, Martin Amidu.
He was asked if he could fit perfectly in his predecessor’s shoes at his Parliamentary vetting, but he said he preferred to be in his own shoes.
President Akufo-Addo told Kissi Agyebeng that the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) carries an onerous responsibility to fight corruption.
The President said the government commitment to fighting corruption led to creating an independent and non-partisan body with the relevant professional capabilities to lead the fight and hold public officials, past and present, accountable for their stewardship of public finances.
He said the genuineness of the government to fight corruption in the country made him appoint a senior member from the “opposite side (NDC), to establish and head this noble office.”
The appointment, he recalled, was met with stiff opposition from both sides of the House (Parliament).
President Akufo-Addo said despite the unfortunate events that led to the departure of the “first occupant of the office (Martin Amidu), I do not regret making that appointment.”
The President said he is consoled by the off-sighted statement that “there is no use crying over spilt milk.”
He promised to ensure the Office is adequately resourced to enable the Special Prosecutor to carry out his mandate.
He urged the new Special Prosecutor to bear in mind at all times that the Office carries an extraordinary responsibility to fight corruption independently and impartially.
The Special Prosecutor’s Act states that the “Special Prosecutor shall have full authority and control over the investigation, initiation and conduct of proceedings of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons in the performance of their functions as well as persons in the private sector involving the commission or alleged, suspected corruption and corruption-related offences.”
He said the Executive would respect the independence of the OSP and provide it with whatever assistance it requires to enable it to function effectively.
Kissi Agyebeng, who expressed gratitude to the President for the confidence reposed in him, said that Ghana is confronted by two pandemics—coronavirus and corruption-related activities.
He said the zeal with which the government had approached the fight against the coronavirus. “ I will also see in respect in respect of the other pandemic( corruption and corruption-related activities)
Kissi Agyebeng is a lecturer at the University of Ghana School of Law, teaching and researching criminal law, international humanitarian law, international law, and corporate law.
He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) from the University of Ghana and two Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the Schulich School of Law at Dalhousie University (Marine and Environmental Law) and Cornell Law School (Corporate Law and Securities Regulation).
In 2006, he received a Master of Laws (LLM) – corporate law, securities regulation, international commercial arbitration, international economic relations (WTO), and international business transactions at the Cornell Law School, Ithaca, New York.
Rex Mainoo Yeboah, ISD