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Monday, 15 June 2026
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Monday, 15 June 2026
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Ghanaian press · Organization

Office of the Special Prosecutor

Also known as: OSP

Office of the Special Prosecutor — Ghana's anti-corruption institution whose constitutional validity is being challenged in the Supreme Court, with judgment scheduled for July 29, 2026.

2026-04-242026-06-15
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In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. April 2026

  2. Joy Online

    Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has cautioned that the Supreme Court’s final decision on the powers of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) could reshape the broader framework of prosecutorial authority in Ghana, far beyond the immediate dispute involving the a …

    Supreme Court OSP ruling could reshape Ghana’s prosecution system – Atuguba

  3. Joy Online

    Former Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has said Ghana’s constitutional framework clearly vests prosecutorial authority in the Attorney-General, but stressed that applying that principle to the ongoing dispute involving the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) is legally c …

    AG holds prosecutorial power, but OSP case not straightforward – Justice Atuguba

  4. Joy Online

    Civil society organisations expressing concern over the legal limitations currently facing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) are reacting to a law that was enacted on their behalf, retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has said. …

    Civil Society frustration over OSP ruling “understandable but misplaced” – Justice Atuguba

  5. Joy Online

    The scope of prosecutorial authority in Ghana has come under renewed legal scrutiny, with former Supreme Court judge William Atuguba questioning whether the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) can independently prosecute cases without constitutional tension. …

    OSP’s powers face fresh scrutiny as Atuguba raises constitutional questions

  6. Joy Online

    Retired Supreme Court Justice William Atuguba has urged caution in public commentary on the ongoing legal dispute involving the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), insisting that the matter should be left for the Supreme Court to determine before broader public debate. …

    Wait for Supreme Court before commenting on OSP case — Justice Atuguba urges public

  7. The Chronicle

    Proceedings in the criminal case involving former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and five others have been adjourned by the High Court following recent developments affecting the prosecutorial mandate of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). …

    High Court Adjourns Ofori-Atta Trial Pending OSP Appeal

  8. Business & Financial Times

    … According to the Coalition, the past few weeks have generated widespread despondency and deepened public mistrust in the state’s commitment to tackling corruption – particularly amid legal challenges confronting the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). …

    GACC urges resistance against attempts to weaken anti-corruption framework
Politics

High Court refuses OSP's stay application on independent prosecution ban

The News

The Accra High Court has declined the Office of the Special Prosecutor's (OSP) application to suspend enforcement of a ruling that halted its independent prosecution of criminal cases, directing instead that all criminal matters be referred to the Attorney-General's Department. The OSP plans to renew its stay application at the Court of Appeal and has filed substantive legal challenges at both the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

Why it matters

High Court refusal to suspend the independent prosecution ban forces the Office of the Special Prosecutor into a strategic legal retreat with major implications for accountability institutions.

2 hours ago · Joy Online →

Today

  1. High Court refuses OSP's stay application on independent prosecution ban

    The Accra High Court has declined the Office of the Special Prosecutor's (OSP) application to suspend enforcement of a ruling that halted its independent prosecution of criminal cases, directing instead that all criminal matters be referred to the Attorney-General's Department. The OSP plans to renew its stay application at the Court of Appeal and has filed substantive legal challenges at both the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal.

    2 hours ago · Joy Online →

  2. Ghana Police, Immigration Service perceived most corrupt—Global InfoAnalytics poll

    A June 2026 National Tracking Poll by Global InfoAnalytics found the Ghana Police Service scored 6.45 out of 10 on a corruption perception index, with the Immigration Service second at 5.69. While Police and Immigration scores improved slightly from previous waves, Business Executives recorded a worsening trend, and overall public optimism on anti-corruption declined from 56% to 54%.

    5 hours ago · Joy Online →

Saturday 13 June

  1. Bomfeh urges AG to weigh plea bargain in Wontumi case

    The CEO of CenCES has urged the Attorney-General to consider accepting a plea bargain in the case involving Ashanti Regional NPP Chairman Bernard Antwi Boasiako if it would serve justice and enable recovery of state resources, arguing that plea bargaining is an established component of Ghana's criminal justice system and can secure restitution while avoiding lengthy proceedings.

    13 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 12 June

  1. CSOs urge Supreme Court to uphold Special Prosecutor's Office legality

    A coalition of 14 Civil Society Organisations has appealed to Ghana's Supreme Court to affirm the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, describing it as vital to the country's anti-corruption framework. The court is set to deliver judgment on July 29, 2026, in the case *Adamtey v. Attorney-General*, which challenges the legality of the law establishing the OSP.

    12 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 11 June

  1. Civil society organisations defend OSP before Supreme Court

    Fourteen civil society organisations have submitted a joint defence of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to the Supreme Court ahead of a July 29, 2026 verdict in Adamtey v. Attorney-General, a case questioning the constitutional validity of the anti-corruption institution's establishment.

    11 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 10 June

  1. Supreme Court to rule on OSP prosecutorial powers legality

    The Supreme Court will deliver a judgment on July 29, 2026, in a constitutional case brought by lawyer Noah Ephraem Tetteh Adamtey, challenging whether Parliament lawfully granted the Office of the Special Prosecutor independent investigative and prosecutorial powers, arguing the 1992 Constitution vests prosecutorial authority exclusively in the Attorney-General.

    10 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Supreme Court hears challenge to OSP's constitutional prosecutorial powers

    The Deputy Attorney-General and 14 civil society organisations appeared at the Supreme Court for a case filed in December 2025 challenging whether Parliament unconstitutionally granted prosecutorial powers to the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The Attorney-General's office argues that Article 88(3) of the Constitution vests prosecutorial powers solely in its office and that Parliament acted unconstitutionally by passing the OSP Act, 2017.

    10 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Supreme Court hears challenge to OSP's independent prosecutorial powers

    The Deputy Attorney-General and 14 civil society organisations appeared at the Supreme Court for a hearing on a constitutional case challenging whether Parliament had the authority to grant the Office of the Special Prosecutor independent prosecutorial powers. The case, filed by private legal practitioner Noah Ephraem Tetteh Adamtey, argues that Articles 88(3) and 88(4) of the Constitution vest prosecutorial authority solely in the Attorney-General, and that the OSP Act 2017 was unconstitutional.

    10 June 2026 · Joy Online →

  4. AG to discuss pending extradition requests with US counterpart

    Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine is scheduled to meet US Department of Justice officials to discuss pending extradition requests between Ghana and the United States. The announcement, made by Minister for Government Communications Felix Kwakye Ofosu, has renewed focus on Ghana's extradition request regarding former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    10 June 2026 · The Chronicle →

  5. Attorney-General to meet US Justice officials on extradition requests

    Ghana's Attorney-General Dr Dominic Ayine is scheduled to meet United States Department of Justice officials for bilateral discussion on pending extradition requests between the two countries. The announcement has renewed attention on Ghana's extradition request for former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

    10 June 2026 · The Chronicle →

Tuesday 9 June

  1. Attorney-General to meet US Justice on pending extradition cases

    Ghana's Attorney-General Dominic Ayine will hold bilateral discussions with the US Department of Justice on all pending extradition requests between the two countries. The announcement came as Sedina Tamakloe-Attionu, convicted in absentia in April 2024, arrived in Accra after a two-year extradition process to begin serving her sentence, with several high-profile cases including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta currently in the extradition pipeline.

    9 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 6 June

  1. Coalition warns against unsubstantiated claims on port disinfection

    The Media Coalition for Good Governance has cautioned that unsubstantiated claims about Ghana's port operations threaten public health security and trade integrity. The coalition's convener stated that allegations against LCB Worldwide Ghana Ltd regarding port disinfection services lack verifiable evidence, technical reports, or regulatory assessments.

    6 June 2026 · Daily Guide →

Tuesday 2 June

  1. CDD-Ghana urges citizens to strengthen district accountability efforts

    The Ghana Center for Democratic Development has called on citizens to demand transparency and strengthen accountability at the district level, particularly through Social Auditing Clubs using the Local Governance Act. The call was made during a training programme in Sogakope under the SARIS Project, which is funded by the EU and operates across 24 selected districts in Ghana.

    2 June 2026 · Joy Online →

Saturday 30 May

  1. Excessive bail conditions threaten constitutional rights in Ghana

    An analysis argues that bail conditions imposed on suspects in Ghana have become increasingly severe in recent years, involving large cash sums and restrictive conditions that amount to de facto pre-trial punishment and undermine the constitutional guarantees of personal liberty and presumption of innocence.

    30 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 25 May

  1. Ghana showcases anti-corruption initiatives at UN Vienna convention

    Nana Oye Bampoe Addo led Ghana's delegation to the 17th Session of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in Vienna, where she highlighted the government's anti-corruption initiatives including Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL), youth engagement programmes, and capacity building efforts under President John Dramani Mahama's administration.

    25 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 21 May

  1. High Court adjourns OSP stay-of-execution hearing to June 2026

    The High Court in Accra has adjourned the Office of the Special Prosecutor's application for a stay of execution of an earlier ruling that found the OSP lacks independent prosecutorial authority. The hearing has been rescheduled for 8 June 2026 after the respondent's legal team was unable to attend the originally scheduled hearing.

    21 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Wednesday 20 May

  1. Government denies plot to weaken Office of Special Prosecutor

    Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu rejected claims that the Mahama administration was secretly working to weaken or abolish the Office of the Special Prosecutor, citing President Mahama's intervention to stop a parliamentary bill to scrap the office as proof of government support.

    20 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Constitutional reforms may be needed to secure OSP future

    Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu said Ghana may need constitutional reforms to secure the long-term future of the Office of the Special Prosecutor, denying claims that the Mahama administration is plotting to weaken or scrap the anti-corruption office. He attributed current legal battles involving the OSP to constitutional interpretation rather than political interference, and noted that President Mahama previously intervened to stop attempts by some members of the then Majority in Parliament to abolish the office.

    20 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Government denies secret plot to weaken Office of Special Prosecutor

    Government spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu has denied claims that the Mahama administration is secretly working to weaken or scrap the Office of the Special Prosecutor, insisting that President Mahama fully supports the anti-corruption office and personally intervened last year to stop a parliamentary bill seeking to abolish it.

    20 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 19 May

  1. Supreme Court admits 14 CSOs to OSP constitutionality case

    The Supreme Court has admitted 14 civil society organisations as interested parties in the case challenging the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act. According to private legal practitioner Justice Abdulai, their intervention will introduce additional perspectives and insights beyond those of the original parties, enriching the proceedings and potentially shaping the court's final determination.

    19 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Supreme Court admits 14 CSOs as friends in OSP Act case

    Ghana's Supreme Court has admitted 14 civil society organisations as friends of the court in a case challenging the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act. CDD-Ghana's director said the move is important because both the applicant and Attorney General held similar positions, leaving the court without an alternative perspective on the constitutional issues.

    19 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  3. Supreme Court admits 14 CSOs in OSP constitutionality case

    The Supreme Court has granted an application by 14 civil society organisations to join the case of Adamtey v Attorney-General, which challenges the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. The organisations include the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development, Transparency International Ghana, and others with interests in governance and anti-corruption issues.

    19 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 18 May

  1. Former finance minister's aide flees Ghana amid SML scandal charges

    Ernest Darko Akore, Chef de Cabinet to former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, has left Ghana for the United States and is also implicated in the Strategic Mobilisation Limited corruption scandal. Unlike Ofori-Atta, Akore holds a U.S. passport in addition to his Ghanaian passport, which may complicate efforts to secure his return to face charges.

    18 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 15 May

  1. Asset declaration trial adjourned pending Supreme Court ruling

    The Accra High Court has adjourned a criminal trial of public officers accused of failing to declare their assets, pending a Supreme Court determination in Noah Ephraim Adamptey v. Attorney-General. The court also acknowledged the death of one accused person, James Keck Osei, and adjourned proceedings to June 16, 2026.

    15 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Tuesday 12 May

  1. Public officials' oaths ring hollow amid corruption scandals

    An opinion piece argues that Ghana's oath-taking ceremonies for public officials have lost meaning given decades of corruption, mismanagement, and theft of public funds, citing unrecovered judgment debts and scandals like GYEEDA and SADA.

    12 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Monday 11 May

  1. Ghana's anti-corruption institutions face judicial pressure in April–May 2026

    Ghana's anti-corruption architecture—built over three decades through the Office of the Special Prosecutor (created 2017), the Economic and Organised Crime Office, and the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice—has come under simultaneous High Court and constitutional pressure. In April and May 2026, rulings declared the OSP's independent prosecutorial mandate void and expunged an EOCO lawyer from a high-profile case, threatening to reduce the system from functioning accountability to a "formally impressive but practically defanged structure."

    11 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Friday 8 May

  1. Former AG says he authorised OSP to prosecute cases

    Former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame asserted that he personally granted the Office of the Special Prosecutor authority to prosecute cases during his tenure, citing Section 4 of the OSP Act and legislative instruments as legal basis for the delegation.

    8 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Thursday 7 May

  1. High Court permits SML accused MP Damoah to travel to London

    The High Court in Accra has granted permission to Col. (Rtd.) Kwadwo Damoah, the sixth accused in the SML case and Member of Parliament for Jaman South, to travel to London between May 11 and May 15, 2026, for a training programme. Damoah is standing trial alongside former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta and six others over 78 counts of alleged corruption and corruption-related offences linked to the SML contract.

    7 May 2026 · Joy Online →

  2. Fourteen CSOs file to join Supreme Court case on OSP Act

    CDD, IMANI and 12 other civil society organisations have filed an application to join the Supreme Court case Adamtey v Attorney-General as amici curiae, seeking to provide legal and policy perspectives on constitutional and public interest issues relating to Ghana's anti-corruption framework and institutional independence.

    7 May 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →

  3. Former AG Godfred Dame defends non-interference with OSP

    Immediate past Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame has defended his relationship with the Office of the Special Prosecutor, insisting he never interfered with the anti-corruption body's work during his tenure and expressing shock at the current legal battle between the AG's office and the OSP.

    7 May 2026 · Joy Online →

Office of the Special Prosecutor — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute