The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is displacing its incompetence on an amended writ filed by lawyers of Charles Bissue, as the basis for an adjournment of the hearing to 13 March 2023, by the court.
The OSP in its usual media tactics hastened to report on Facebook that the plaintiff, Charles Bissue is seeking to withdraw its earlier application filed on 23 December 2022 and filed an amended affidavit in support of an application filed on 4 January 2023.
It is rather appalling given the fact that the adjournment was occasion mainly by the failure of the OSP to file its statement of case after the 14 days period given them by the court to file their application to set aside the Amended Writ filed by Mr Bissue elapsed.
With all the time and resources at its disposal, and with that conviction of having concluded its investigations into the matter, the OSP had no excuse for failing in this regard.
Lawyers of the OSP told the court today, they are just about finalizing their statement of the case and pleaded for more time to respond appropriately. While at this, a supplementary application has been filed by the lawyers of Charles Bissue.
This new application, according to sources has cited the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng for conflict of interest and bias. Reference is made to Kissi Agyabeng as being a partner to Anas Aremeyaw Anas in a private legal firm, Cromwell Gray LLP.
It also cites the fact that Kissi Agyabeng acting through that firm, served as the lawyer for Anas Aremeyaw Anas when the OSP under Martin Amidu conducted its investigations.
The OSP published on 24 January 2023 via its various platforms that, they have concluded their investigations into the purported galamsey fraud video produced by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye P.I. The report assigned by the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyabeng, added that the office is ready to prosecute Mr Bissue based on the evidence uncovered.
The OSP who have earlier argued the case be discarded is now playing delay tactics in responding to the demands of the court. Obviously, Kissi Agyabeng and his office is struggling to put up anything substantial in defence of claims made by the lawyers of Charles Bissue.
Background
Charles Bissue on December 23, 2022, filed an application to restrain the OSP from investigating him in respect of the purported galamsey fraud documentary.
An amendment was later filed to further restrain the OSP from investigating and prosecuting the plaintiff grounds that the matter had already been investigated by the Police.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas and Tiger Eye P.I published this documentary in 2019 accusing Mr Bissue, who was a Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) of taking bribes and circumventing processes in granting an illegal mining firm; ORR Resources, the right to engage in mining.
After this publication, the government directed the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) to conduct a full-scale investigation into the matter.
While investigations were ongoing, Anas Aremeyaw Anas petitioned the OSP to investigate and prosecute all persons including Mr Bissue for corruption.
The CID investigation was concluded months later and established that Mr Bissue is not liable for any offence as argued by Anas Aremayaw Anas and his team.
Source: Patrick Ennimil Arthur
