The Judicial Service of Ghana and the Office of the Special Prosecutor have restated their commitment to deal with corruption and corruption-related activities.
This follows an engagement between the two bodies, together with civil society, the Ghana Bar Association, and the National Media Commission, last week.
In a joint statement, the two agencies highlighted the inimical effects of corruption on the development of society while reiterating their respective mandates for dealing with the menace.
“Concerned about the seriousness of the problems and threats posed by corruption and corruption-related activities to our development and democracy;”
“Noting the important roles of the Judiciary and the Office of the Special Prosecutor in combating corruption and corruption-related activities;”
“Affirm a joint commitment to suppress and repress corruption and corruption-related activities in all forms through collaborative enforcement of the law and continuous engagement, while upholding the rule of law and the provision of fair hearings to all stakeholders in the criminal justice system,” the statement read.
The Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Alban Bagbin, recently remarked that the creation of the OSP was “an exercise in futility,” citing the complaints by the Special Prosecutor about not being able to effectively prosecute corruption cases before it due to interference by the Judiciary.
But in a response, the judicial service asked the special prosecutor to resort to the judicial system in seeking redress for his perceived challenges.