Sammy Darko, the Director of Strategy, Research, and Communication at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has dismissed claims of a rift between the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice (AG) over the ongoing extradition process involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.
According to him, there is “no bad blood” between the two state institutions.
Instead, the delay in the extradition process is due to timing, as the OSP is finalising its investigations and preparing to transmit the necessary documents to the AG.
“There is no bad blood between the OSP and the Attorney-General, nor is there any contention over the case docket. The issue at hand is primarily one of timing,” Sammy Darko wrote in a post.
In a facebook post, he explained that the OSP is close to completing its work on several cases involving Mr. Ofori-Atta and intends to file additional charges in related matters. Once the process is completed, the relevant information will be handed over to the AG to advance the extradition.
The OSP had earlier placed Mr. Ofori-Atta on a wanted list and secured an Interpol Red Notice to aid in his arrest abroad as part of ongoing corruption investigations.
Sammy Darko acknowledged that the Attorney-General may be under increasing public pressure to move swiftly on the case, but he urged the public to extend the same patience the AG often requests when dealing with politically sensitive prosecutions.
“The OSP operates as an independent prosecutorial body with investigative powers and a specific, limited jurisdiction over certain corruption and corruption-related offences, which Mr. Ofori-Atta is alleged to have breached,” he added.
He also raised concerns over what he described as “partial leakage of information,” warning that it could put OSP officers at risk and create unnecessary perceptions of political interference.
“Certainly, the leak could not have originated from the OSP. The Office would never compromise the safety of its officers or jeopardise a case it has pursued diligently since February,” he stressed.
While the AG’s office is responsible for the formal extradition process, the OSP is expected to provide supporting evidence and documentation to sustain the case in court.
The Special Prosecutor is expected to submit the required information to the AG this week to facilitate the next steps.
SOURCE: JoyNews
