OSP was not established to be independent of AG - Inusah Fuseini clarifies

Inusah Fuseini clarified that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was not established as a fully independent prosecutorial body on Tuesday, April 21, on JoyNews' The Pulse. Alhaji Fuseini said, "We did not establish an office of an independent Special Prosecutor. The OSP is not independent of the Attorney General, but it is insulated from interference under the provisions of the law."

Fuseini explained that the Attorney General plays a role in the nomination process of the Special Prosecutor, who is then forwarded to the President and subsequently vetted and approved by Parliament. He warned that excessive dependence on the Attorney General could undermine the effectiveness of the anti-corruption mandate of the OSP. He cautioned, "If there is too much control, it becomes interference. And interference can lead to selective prosecution, which defeats the purpose for which the office was created."

Mr. Fuseni noted that maintaining the integrity of the OSP is critical to sustaining public trust in Ghana's fight against corruption. His comments come amid ongoing public debate about the scope, autonomy, and effectiveness of the Office of the Special Prosecutor within Ghana's legal and governance framework, at a time when the OSP and the Attorney-General (AG) are engaged in a perceived prosecutorial power struggle.