Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Political Science Department, Professor Ransford Yaw Gyampo has advised the Special Prosecutor against “rushing to please anybody” since his office is subject to political supervision.
He cautioned Kissi Agyebeng to tone down his “youthful exuberance” when carrying out his responsibilities.
He made this statement after an invitation from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), resulted in the arrest of Professor Frimpong Boateng over his report on the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
The surgeon has since been granted bail in the amount of GH¢2 million.
However, Prof Gyampo believes that the arrest of the former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation was disrespectful and unnecessary.
“The Special Prosecutor has every right to invite Prof Frimpong Boateng to assist in getting to the bottom of some of the issues raised in his report, which he never published, but privately submitted to the President. Indeed he can be invited to assist in investigations but he cannot be arrested without being charged. It is disrespectful and an unnecessary show of power as well as harassment to Prof Frimpong Boateng” he said .
He added that although he is not a lawyer, Mr Frimpong-Boateng should not have been arrested without being charged.
“Galamsey is not fought by harassing those who expose it, Mr Special Prosecutor,” he said.
Prof. Gyampo added that an earlier recommendation had been made for an Independent Prosecutor who will “not walk in the shadows of a partisan Attorney-General” but this recommendation was ignored by government and the OSP rather initiated.
