Prof. Ransford Gyampo, Kissi Agyebeng, Ken Ofori-Atta
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Shippers’ Authority, Prof. Ransford Gyampo, and the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng have clashed over ongoing investigations into former Minister for Finance Ken Ofori-Atta and a search at the premises of Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
The clash follows Prof. Gyampo’s comments on the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) handling of the Ofori-Atta investigation and a growing concern by some section of the public, which suggest the Office is approaching the matter in the wrong direction, with others suggesting that the Special Prosecutor’s actions smack of a personal vendetta.
Speaking on TV3’s Key Points programme, Prof. Gyampo indicated, “I hope the OSP is not being driven by personal vendetta in his quest to get to Ken Ofori-Ata.”
The OSP, which appeared to be offended by the suggestion, issued a strong-worded statement and even suggested the Acting CEO texted it to call in a favour during the recent raiding of the premises of SML.
The statement, which was posted on the OSP’s social media handle, indicates it attention had been drawn to Prof. Gyampo’s comments “suggesting that the OSP’s investigation of suspect Kenneth Nana Yaw Ofori-Atta is born out of a personal vendetta.”
The OSP continued that its actions involving Mr. Ofori-Atta are based on stated allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences, particularly abuse of office for profit, including the multiple-year contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML).
“Incidentally, the said CEO called and sent messages to the Office in respect of SML while officers of the OSP and National Security were still conducting a legal search of SML’s premises,” the OSP revealed.
It added that while the OSP welcomes criticism of its work, “it cautions public officials to refrain from interfering – whether directly or through unfounded public statements – with ongoing investigations. Such actions have the potential to undermine the fight against corruption.”
This statement by the OSP did not find favour with Prof. Gyampo, who also took to Facebook to register his reservations on the insinuation by the OSP that he tried to influence the SML investigations.
“Kissi, I didn’t call your office, I called YOU and we never spoke on phone because you said you couldn’t speak and that you were going to call back,” he said in the Facebook post.
He continued that “I texted you just to caution you not to cause financial loss to the state even as you go about your investigations, which I fully favour. Given what I have heard from across the political divide about your possible intentions, I only expressed the hope that your intentions are patriotic and not personal. That’s all.”
Prof. Gyampo further indicated that it is fine for the OSP to assure Ghanaians about its intentions “but the bit that talks about me calling your office and insinuating that perhaps I called to ask you to do something untoward is unfair and makes me then doubt your intentions the more.”
He added that he will circulate his WhatsApp texts with Kissi Agyebeng “to make the point that I only expressed concern about potential financial loss to Ghana.”
BY Gibril Abdul Razak