Special Prosecutor Nominee Is Otchere-Darko’s Surrogate-Martin Amidu Warns

Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu in a revealing statement released today (April 29, 2021), has warned Ghanaians that, Kissi Agyebeng, the man nominated by President Akufo Addo to be the next Special Prosecutor (SP) is a mere “surrogate” to protect the corrupt acts of the Jubilee House.

According to Mr. Amidu, the 43-year-old lawyer is a surrogate of the “ alter ego” of Africa Legal Associates, a firm founded by the President’s cousin, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko the trusted advisor to President Akufo Addo, who has been linked to a number of high-profile corrupt deals.

 “It must, therefore, be worrying to any patriotic Ghanaian not afraid of the culture of silence to see Asaase Radio undertaking political propaganda beginning on 25th April 2021 to 26th April 2021 to prepare the minds of the Ghanaian and international public to accept the surrogate of the alter ego of the Asaase Radio station and Africa Legal Associates as the Special Prosecutor as mandated under section 4(1) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2018 (Act 959),” he added.

The Attorney-General (ag), Godfred Yeboah Dame has nominated Mr. Agyabeng as required by section 13 (8) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), recommends that when the position of the SP becomes vacant, the President shall, within six months, appoint another qualified person for that portfolio through the nomination of the AG.

However, Mr. Amidu insists that the nomination was a ruse to install a crony of the Jubilee House in the powerful SP office and incapacitate him from truly chasing corruption committed by the Akufo Addo government.

Amidu also noted that Godfred Yeboah also nominated Kissi Agyebeng because they are close friends and former classmates.

“…its surrogate and nominee Special Prosecutor…is a personal friend and classmate of the Attorney General, and the owner of Asaase Radio all of whom attended the University of Ghana’s Faculty of Law and Ghana Law School. The independence of the Special Prosecutor from the direction or control of any person or authority in the performance of the functions of his office are the operative statutory words for the nomination of an impartial Special Prosecutor! Not a word with an “ism”.

“….the nominator of the proposed new Special Prosecutor knows or ought to have known the extent of the involvement of their surrogate as a lawyer for suspects in pending suspected corruption cases in which the Government showed an undue interest in…,” Amidu stated.

His sentiments syncs with the New Patriotic Party (NPP) The Member of Parliament for Assin Central, Kennedy Agyapong who, in 2019, raised red flags about the character of Kissi Agyabeng, describing him as a “Criminal” and one with a reputation for defending criminals.

“He [Kissi Agyabeng] is a foolish lawyer. Stupid…A lawyer who defends criminals. He defends any criminal in sight, it means he is a criminal,” Ken Ofori-Atta fired in Twi during an interview granted him by Kofi TV.

Already, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have vowed to oppose Kissi Agyabeng’s appointment as the SP because of his close links to the Jubilee House and the scandalous Agyapa Royalties deal.

The connection between Gabby and Kissi Agyabeng is even more apparent when in 2020 when Gabby sued US-based Ghanaians journalist, Kevin Ekow Taylor, it was Agyabeng who represented him in court in the shambolic suit that got Mr. Taylor’s name spelled wrongly.

Meanwhile, Agyabeng is somehow linked to the scandalous Agyapa Royalties deal that led to the resignation of Martin Amidu when he accused President Akufo Addo as the “Mother Serpent of Corruption” behind the shad

Kissi Agyabeng is a partner at Cromwell Gray LLP and had in 2017 worked with White and Case, the London-based law firm that was virtually hand-picked by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko to serve as legal advisors to the scandalous Agyapa Royalty deal that was surreptitiously set up to hijack more than US$2.5 billion of Ghana mineral royalties futures value into the hands of a group of faceless investors linked to cronies at the Finance Ministries and the Jubilee House.

 “Mr. Agyabeng is a fine lawyer. But if he wants to be SP as reported then he must COMMIT to recuse himself from ALL Agyapa matters. Given his close links to White & Case & ALA (run by Agyapa supporter, Mr. Ochere-Darko), else CSOs will oppose his appointment,” warned Bright Simmons, a founding member of the policy think-tank IMANI.

Aside from the criticisms about his reputation, his nomination has sparked a serious cold war at the SP’s Office, Whatsup News can report.

Apparently, Cynthia Lamptey, an experienced Senior State Attorney who had fought many high profile public corruption allegations have been acting as the stand-in Special Prosecutor (SP) when her boss and former SP, Martin Amidu unceremoniously resigned after jabbing President Akufo Addo for being corrupt and interfering in the job of the independent SP in fighting corruption.

Also, Whatsup News has gathered from reliable sources that Ms. Lamptey had earlier been approached by some individuals at the Jubilee House assuring her that she will be confirmed as the substantive SP. 

However, while this negotiation was ongoing, President Akufo Addo suddenly appointed Lawyer Kissi Agyabeng as substantive SP to take over from the more experienced Lamptey. 

Agyabeng was born in 1978 and attended the Cornell Law School, Ithaca, New York and has since held several interesting positions, including the Chairman of the Electronic Communications Tribunal, Ghana (Since 2019), Vice Chairman, Appeals Committee, Ghana Football Association (2017 – 2018) Associate – African Center for Cyber Law and Cyber Crime Prevention (Since 2010) National Coordinator – Commonwealth Moot Court Competition on International Criminal Justice (Since 2017) Former Editor, Ghana Monthly Judgments (2008-2009), among others.

 In comparison, however, Cynthia Lamptey who is being edged out from becoming the substantive SP is a more experienced legal luminary who was employed as a state attorney at the Attorney-General’s Department in 1995 and rose through the ranks till she was appointed Director of Public Prosecutions during the John Mahama administration. 

As the country’s chief prosecutor, she handled several high-profile prosecutions. Some of her prosecutions include the case of the alleged stealing GHC 86.9 million by an Executive Director of the National Service Scheme and the criminal prosecution of Alfred Agbesi Woyome in the controversial GHC 52 million cedis judgment debt saga.