Your Assurance You Won’t Sack Me Needless – Amidu Hits Back At Mahama
Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu has stated that he does not need assurances from Former President John Dramani Mahama that he would not be sacked if he wins the 2020 polls.
He argues that the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (959) governs the situation and is, therefore, needless for anybody to assume airs about what she or he will do with the Office or Martin Amidu when she or he wins the elections.
“As the Special Prosecutor, I do not need assurances from anybody of leaving me in Office when she or he wins the elections. The Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (959) governs the situation. In any case, the position of Special Prosecutor is not one of servitude but of service. It is, therefore, needless for anybody to assume airs about what she or he will do with the Office or Martin Amidu when she or he wins the elections”
According to him, the Office is an independent statutory anti-corruption agency and must be respected as such notwithstanding who for the time being holds the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
Reacting to recent comments by Mr Mahama on the matter he said “Any Ghanaian worthy of putting himself forward as Presidential candidate for the upcoming elections should know the content of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) by now. He must know by now that under section 4 of Act 959, except as otherwise provided for in the 1992 Constitution, the Office is not subject to the direction or control of a person or an authority in the performance of the functions of the Office even when the Office acts upon the authority of the Attorney- General to initiate and conduct the prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences. It is also clearly stated that the Board of the Office shall not interfere in the day-to-day functions of the Office. This independence of the Office in the performance of the functions of the Office is reinforced when Act 959 gives the Special Prosecutor full authority and control over the investigation, initiation and conduct of proceedings under subsection (1) of section 3 which spells out the functions of the Office”
