Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has criticised Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng for what he calls a failure of vigilance that allowed former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta to leave the country despite facing criminal charges.
Speaking on Newsfile on Saturday, 6 December, Mr Kpebu said that if he had been the Special Prosecutor, he would have taken every lawful step, including mobilising Ghanaians at the airport, to stop the former Minister from departing Ghana.
Mr Kpebu argued that preventing Mr Ofori-Atta from travelling was critical to protecting the public interest, given the seriousness of the charges preferred against him by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
“If I were the Special Prosecutor, I would have massed people at the airport to ensure he didn’t flee Ghana. You cannot have someone facing such charges slipping out of the country,” he stated. He insisted that the failure to do so amounted to a lapse in duty.
He further accused the current Special Prosecutor of acting contrary to the expectations of citizens who rely on the OSP to safeguard accountability.
According to him, Mr Agyebeng’s conduct raises troubling questions about commitment to the anti-corruption mandate.
“The Special Prosecutor is behaving like a double agent. He is not fighting for the interest of Ghanaians,” Mr Kpebu charged, saying the public deserved a more assertive and transparent approach.
Mr Kpebu maintained that decisive action was necessary from the OSP not only to uphold the law but also to restore public confidence.
He argued that the ease with which Mr Ofori-Atta travelled out of the jurisdiction sent a damaging signal about the state’s seriousness in pursuing corruption cases.
“This is not how you handle high-profile prosecutions. You have to show citizens that no one is above the law,” he added.
He concluded by urging the OSP to re-evaluate its operational approaches and strengthen internal controls to prevent similar situations in future.
Mr Kpebu emphasised that Ghana’s anti-corruption fight required firm leadership, unwavering resolve, and the courage to confront powerful individuals.
“We need an institution that stands boldly for the Republic, not one that hesitates when it matters most,”he said.