The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has firmly denied allegations of personal animosity driving its investigation into former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, directly countering recent remarks by Prof. Ransford Gyampo, Acting CEO of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority.
The OSP described Gyampo’s suggestion that the probe might be motivated by vendetta as “misleading and potentially harmful to the integrity of its operations.”
Prof. Gyampo, speaking on TV3’s Keypoints programme, had stated, “I hope the OSP is not motivated by vendetta,” while calling for fairness and transparency in the Ofori-Atta case. The OSP, responding via a 22 June Facebook statement, emphasized its investigation focuses solely on “stated allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences,” specifically the alleged abuse of office for personal gain related to a multi-year contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
The OSP disclosed a significant detail: Prof. Gyampo contacted the Office while OSP and National Security officers were conducting a lawful search of SML’s premises. While not accusing Gyampo of wrongdoing, the OSP stated that “the timing and nature of this contact raise questions,” warning that “such actions have the potential to undermine the fight against corruption.” The Office reiterated its openness to public scrutiny and constructive criticism but cautioned public officials against attempts to interfere with ongoing investigations.
The statement also addressed Gyampo’s concerns regarding the OSP’s rejection of proposals by Ofori-Atta’s legal team for video conferencing interviews, citing the former minister’s reported ill health. The OSP clarified that Ofori-Atta has not been formally charged but must comply with lawful investigative procedures in person. It dismissed suggestions that officials should travel abroad to meet him, citing public expenditure concerns.
Prof. Gyampo had further questioned the OSP’s overall effectiveness, referencing unresolved high-profile cases like the Cecilia Dapaah investigation, remarking, “They have in the past started so dramatically but, in the end, we saw nothing.” The OSP’s rebuttal underscores the tension between its mandate for independent anti-corruption probes and public perceptions shaped by unresolved cases and external commentary.
