Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng is to be invited to Parliament after Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor accused his office of abusing its authority in the arrest and detention of private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) arrested Mr Kpebu on Wednesday, December 3, accusing him of obstructing one of its officers. But addressing the House on Thursday, Mr Dafeamekpor insisted that the OSP must justify its actions before Parliament.
“The Office of the Special Prosecutor has abused his powers in this matter and I will not hesitate to say that this House, we created the Office and if he continues to abuse its powers, then we may have to abrogate it.”
Mr Dafeamekpor added that Parliament will demand full accountability from the Special Prosecutor.
“Let me place on record that this House, we shall be inviting him (the OSP) to come and brief the House on the circumstances under which he would detain a citizen under such flimsy, whimsical circumstances. It is untenable, and yesterday his conduct was frowned upon by the entire nation,” he told MPs.
During the same debate, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga supported calls for the abolition of the OSP, saying he had always held that the office was not constitutionally grounded.
He stated, “The detention of Martin Kpebu raises serious issues about the existence of that Office. I opposed its creation and took the position that it was unconstitutional.”
Mr Ayariga added, “I think that we should abolish the Office of the Special Prosecutor. We have experimented with it and seen the results.”
Mr Kpebu, known for criticising the OSP’s handling of high-profile cases—including its probe into former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta—was arrested after what the OSP described as an obstruction-related altercation with one of its officers.
He had been invited to assist with investigations into corruption allegations he previously made against the Special Prosecutor.
He was detained at a location unknown to his lawyers and granted bail hours later, with conditions that included providing landed property as surety. He was eventually released the same evening.
The arrest drew criticism from several public figures, including former Speaker of Parliament Prof. Mike Oquaye, who condemned the OSP’s handling of the matter.
About the Author
