Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai says Ghana still needs a dedicated anti-corruption institution because the Attorney-General’s Department can easily focus on other crimes and still appear successful without prosecuting a single corruption case.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Dr Srem-Sai said this was one of the key reasons the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was established — to ensure sustained and targeted attention on corruption-related offences.
“We can look good by prosecuting murder. We can look good by prosecuting armed robbers. We can look good by prosecuting all the other offences and we can justify our budget by doing all these other things — except corruption,” he said.
His comments come at a time when the OSP’s prosecutorial authority is under scrutiny following an Accra High Court ruling on April 15, 2026, which declared all ongoing prosecutions by the office null and void and directed the Attorney-General’s Department to take over those cases.
The ruling has triggered renewed debate over the future role of the anti-graft office and whether constitutional reforms may be needed to secure its independence.
Dr Srem-Sai argued that the OSP’s biggest strength lies in its narrow mandate, saying the institution can only be judged by how effectively it tackles corruption.
According to him, unlike the Attorney-General’s Department, which handles a broad range of criminal matters, the Special Prosecutor has no alternative area in which to claim success if it fails to pursue corruption cases.
He said that level of focus creates stronger accountability and explains why the institution remains important despite the current legal setback.
The Deputy Attorney-General also sought to assure the public that the government’s decision to comply with the court order does not mean a retreat in the fight against corruption.
He said President John Dramani Mahama remains “100% committed” to ensuring corruption is confronted on all fronts.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor was created under the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 as part of efforts to strengthen Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture. Since then, it has handled a number of high-profile investigations and prosecutions involving public officials and state institutions.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com