This Saturday on Newsfile, the national conversation pivots to accountability, rights, and the fast-escalating fight against illegal mining, as three major governance battles converge under intense public scrutiny.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) remains firmly after filing 78 corruption charges against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, SML, and six others. The docket is ready, the arraignment date is set, and the OSP insists the evidence trail is strong.
But a cloud of controversy refuses to lift. How did Ken Ofori-Atta leave the country at such a critical moment? Is he truly off Interpol’s red-notice system, meaning he may never be extradited to face trial? Should the Special Prosecutor lose his job for “watching” him leave, as critics claim? And perhaps the most consequential question of all: is this case already a lost cause without its principal accused in Ghana?
As the OSP battles public pressure, the Economic and Organised Crime Office is fighting its own wave of criticism over the imposition of unusually hefty bail conditions in major corruption cases. EOCO insists its approach is lawful, proportionate, and necessary to prevent flight risk in an era where corruption cases involve complex networks and massive state losses.
But civil society organisations, human-rights advocates and sections of the legal fraternity warn that these bail conditions are excessive, discriminatory and could set a dangerous precedent for weaponising legal safeguards. Are these bail terms routine tools for securing justice, or do they amount to unconstitutional restrictions that violate fundamental rights?
Meanwhile, the galamsey crisis returns to centre stage with the Cabinet’s approval of a new Public Tribunals Bill, designed to fast-track illegal mining prosecutions. The government believes specialised courts will finally bring speed and deterrence to a fight that has dragged on for more than a decade. But even as the proposal gains momentum, the ground reality is deteriorating rapidly.
Armed illegal miners are holding up to five forest reserves hostage, blocking access routes, firing at security officers and tightening control over key concessions. NAIMOS teams report being overstretched as galamsey operations grow more militarised, while communities living near the hotspots describe a climate of fear and lawlessness.
Can public tribunals deliver swift justice in the courts when the real battle is shifting into armed conflict on the ground? And where exactly is NAIMOS, as these armed miners expand their influence?
Join Samson Lardy Anyenini this Saturday at 9 a.m. on JoyNews and MyJoyOnline as Newsfile dissects the OSP’s embattled corruption case, tests the legality of EOCO’s bail measures, and interrogates whether fast-track tribunals can match the rising militarisation of illegal mining.
Newsfile airs live on the JoyNews channel on digital satellite channels 421 on DSTV and 144 on GoTV, and streams on JoyNews’ Facebook or YouTube channels on Saturdays from 9 am to noon.
Viewers can also follow the discussion by tuning in to Joy 99.7 FM or Luv 99.5 FM on the radio or stream the discussion live on either Google or Apple Podcasts.
Newsfile is your most authoritative news analysis programme.
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