Professor Ransford Gyampo, a professor of political science at the University of Ghana, has advised the Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, to be patient in his work and not rush to please anyone.
Prof. Gyampo estime que l’arrestation du ancien ministre de l’Environnement, de la Science, de la Technologie et de l’Innovation était méprisable et inutile.
Prof. Gyampo acknowledged that the Special Prosecutor has the right to invite Prof. Frimpong Boateng to help investigate the issues raised in his report, which was privately submitted to the President.
He highlighted, however, that Prof. Frimpong Boateng shouldn’t be detained without being charged since it would be disrespectful, an unwarranted display of power, and harassing.
“I do not believe in this Special Prosecutor arrangement. I researched for the team that produced the first-ever document that called for the review of the 1992 Constitution. We made recommendations for an Independent Prosecutor and never a Special Prosecutor who would walk in the shadows of a partisan Attorney-General.
“The Special Prosecutor must therefore tone down on his youthful exuberance and must not be rushing to please anybody because, the office is not independent after all, from the control of politicians. We asked for the separation of the Attorney General from the Ministry of Justice and the creation of an Independent Public Prosecutor who cannot be ordered by the Attorney General to pursue a case or discontinue it.”
“This notwithstanding, the Special Prosecutor has every right to invite Prof Frimpong Boateng to assist in getting to the bottom of some of the issues raised in his report, which he never published, but privately submitted to the President. Indeed he can be invited to assist in investigations but he cannot be arrested without being charged. It is disrespectful and an unnecessary show of power as well as harassment to Prof Frimpong Boateng,” Prof. Gyampo disclosed in a statement.
Prof. Gyampo’s remarks came after it was made public that the former Chairman of the disbanded Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) was asked to comment on allegations of corruption and crimes related to corruption involving the IMCIM’s operations and spending.
The former minister of environment, science, technology, and innovation made the following points in an interview with Joy News
“If I am prosecuted, I am not scared. Why should I be scared? I do not see any possibility of me being convicted. But look, in this life, the Son of God Jesus Christ was convicted and killed.”
Professor Frimpong-Boateng, who authored a bombshell report exposing supposed efforts by some persons to undermine the government’s fight against illegal mining (galamsey), said:
“If bad people want to kill you, they know what to do to kill you. If people who have the power to do things want to ditch you, they will know how to do it because it happens. So whatever you are doing, we should be careful that we are doing everything in the interest of Ghana.”
