Atik Mohammed has fired shots at the Special Prosecutor over his public outcry against the Judiciary over cases of corruption he presents to the court.
At a press conference on Wednesday, November 29, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) voiced its frustrations over the increasing numbers of dismissive rulings in corruption cases he sends to the court for adjudication, cautioning that this growing trend could have grave implications for the country’s anti-corruption endeavors.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng stressed that corruption is a major threat to Ghana's economic development and erodes public trust in government, therefore warned that hastily dismissing corruption cases would have dire consequences on the country.
He also feared the Judges' rulings could impede the fight against this canker.
Special Prosecutor Criticizes Judiciary
“Indeed I have had several calls from well-meaning lawyers admonishing me that they have heard talk that our friends who have been elevated to the bench and presiding over cases in court do not take very kindly to criticism, especially of the public calling out variety as we do. And that if the office persists in the media releases, the judges will gang up against the office and throw out all our cases.
“It will be absolutely of no good should it be the case that the OSP is set against the judiciary or that the judiciary is against the OSP. That will surely spell disastrous consequences for this republic, especially in the fight against corruption to the glee of corrupt persons”, he told the press.
“I do not intend to sound as though I’m predicting doom but we are facing doom. With this development, it will not be long, [before] a suspected murderer or armed robber will boldly walk to court with the unthinkable prayer that the court should injunct law enforcement agencies from investigating him,” Mr. Agyebeng cautioned.
Incompetent Special Prosecutor
Assessing this speech, Atik Mohammed concludes that Kissi Agyebeng is an incompetent Special Prosecutor.
Atik argued on Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" show Thursday morning that, with Mr. Agyebeng's years of experience in law practice, he expected something better from him than creating a negative impression about the Judiciary.
"I think we have an incompetent OSP on our hands and I don't mince my words when I say that. He is an incompetent OSP, absolutely incompetent!", he exclaimed.
"A lawyer should not even speak the way he is speaking. He is creating the impression that there is a grand agenda by the Judges to frustrate his work which is unacceptable. It's objectionable," he further blasted Mr. Agyebeng.
To him, since the appointment of Kissi Agyebeng into the Special Prosecutor's office, all he has succeeded in doing is too much talking and releasing series of press releases.
"Since this man came, which case has he successfully prosecuted?", he questioned, answering; "he is always in a rush to do something and he talks more than he actually works...as if he is the only one who understands the law or his understanding of the law is sacrosanct and that any other opinion other than his opinion is wrong".
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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The OSP has asked time and again are we ready to fight corruption in this country. And my candid opinion is no. Because when you have street bureaucrats like this atik spewing ***barred word*** of this nature how can the fight against corruption be won. If you look at the cases that OSP has lost, there is a clear trend that indeed there seem to be a collusion of judges against his work. And you have half-baked atik attacking. Here is a question for you street bureaucrat atik, what does the OSP gain in recovery of ill-gotten money than to make Ghana a better place. And to bias peace fm why did you not cover the press conference of the OSP. His speech is available on Graphic online I have listened to it fully and believe me he makes a lot of sense in his assessment that there seem to be collusion of judges against him. atik do yourself a favor and ***barred word*** 🤫 for a good while.
What is Atik saying? He is so naïve in his analysis. We have seen first hand in this country corrupt judges at play in cases as serious as murders. Atik admits he is not a lawyer and it clearly shows in his analysis. Indeed, judges can be biased and corrupt and in some cases they are recused from certain cases. Let us not pretend that we do not know that culprits of corruption have collaborators or even enablers in the judiciary. How can you go to a court to injunct an investigation against you? That you are infallible and can do no wrong? In other jurisdictions ,closed cases can be reopened against you even after initial investigations failed to establish a prima facie case against you. But when the courts in Ghana give the impression that after if initial investigations against failed to put you before trial then subsequent investigations against you should be dismissed then we are setting a very dangerous precedent. And one danger we face as a country is the politicization of our courts, with Mahama threatening to also empanel the courts with pro-NDC lawyers when he comes back to power. This is so sickening and this current President started this dangerous idea of empanelling the supreme court with former NPP card-bearing judges! So those of us who don't belong to either of these two corrupt parties should drown in the sea? No one needs to be a lawyer