The Deputy Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Justice Srem-Sai, has announced that the Attorney-General will take over all ongoing prosecutions handled by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) following a directive from the High Court.
According to him, the court ruled that all cases currently being prosecuted by the OSP must be transferred to the Attorney-General until the anti-corruption body secures the necessary constitutional authorisation to undertake prosecutions.
The ruling arose from a legal challenge by Peter Archibald Hyde, who questioned the OSP’s authority to initiate and conduct prosecutions without explicit approval from the Attorney-General.
His legal team argued that both the Constitution and the OSP Act require the Special Prosecutor to act with such authorisation. Court proceedings revealed that the OSP was unable to provide evidence confirming it had obtained that approval.
Dr Srem-Sai stated that the Attorney-General will fully comply with the court’s decision, stressing that there will be no attempt to disregard the directive.
He added that steps are already being taken to implement the ruling, with arrangements expected in the coming days to ensure a smooth transition of all affected cases.
Source:
oyerepafmonline.com