Special
Prosecutor, Martin Alamisi BK Amidu, says the decision of the Police CID to
investigate a presidential staffer, despite his opposition, is political.
He says he had written to the police and copied the Interior Ministry as well
as the seat of government, the Jubilee House, on the matter.
The content of his letter was that the Office of Special Prosecutor (OSP) had
commenced investigations into allegation of corruption made against the
Presidential Staffer, Mr Charles Bissue.
The investigation followed a petition presented to the OSP by investigators,
TigerEye PI, which captured the Secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on
Illegal Mining collecting bundles of cash.
Mr Bissue, the petitioners alleged, took the money to circumvent the laws and
issue permits that would allow a private firm to engage in small scale mining
despite the pendency of a ban supervised by the Committee to which he was a
secretary.
While the OSP launched investigations into the allegations contained in the
petition, the Criminal Investigations Department of the Police started a
separate investigation into the same matter.
This necessitated Martin Amidu’s letter warning of any attempt to interfere
with his work.
Speaking to Citi FM after the CID issued a report exonerating Mr Bissue, the
Special Prosecutor said the police lacked jurisdiction to investigate the
allegations.
He said the police in replying his letter, said the Environment Minister, Prof.
Kwabena Frimpong Boateng had asked them to continue with the investigation and
that they would do so in disregard of his warning.
He said the OSP had received evidence from both the petitioners and Mr Bissue
and that journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, CEO of TigerEye PI, personally wrote
to him, indicating a willingness to appear before the OSP Personally and
testify. He subsequently did.
Mr Amidu repeated his complaints that his work is constantly being obstructed.
Lawyer for TigerEye, Sammy Darko, said it was curious that the police while
admitting they didn’t have all the evidence, still came to the conclusion that
Mr Bissue, who is the Regional Secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party
for the Western Region is not blameable.
He said the petitioners did not find it necessary to submit their evidence to
the police because they had presented same to the OSP.
If the police were minded, they could have contacted the OSP for the evidence,
instead of relying on inconclusive evidence to make a definite pronouncement
exonerating the Presidential Staffer.
The action of the police has angered many on social media who contend they are
not surprised by the outcome.