Special Prosecutor begins probe into ‘Cash for Justice’ saga

Martin Amidu, Special Prosecutor, has commenced investigations into the “Cash for Justice” documentary in which a senior State Attorney has been accused of taking money to allegedly compromise justice delivery in the country, ABC News can report.

In the investigative piece by EIB’s investigative journalist Edward Adeti, a senior State Attorney was accused of taking money to compromise justice.

The senior State Attorney, Emmanuel Lawrence Otoo-Boison, in a conversation caught on tape advised a crime suspect, Mohammed Awal, who is standing trial in the Upper East region for rape, to run away from facing trial after taking a pregnant goat and cash from the suspect’s ‘agent’ in the latest undercover investigation on Ghana’s justice system.

The suspect is said to be on the list of the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) and is reportedly also wanted in Burkina Faso for alleged involvement in some crimes committed in the neighboring West African country.

According to Citi News’ sources, the Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has directed the investigation division of his outfit to immediately probe the matter in the interest of the public, although the Office has not been officially petitioned.

“The Special Prosecutor has instructed the investigation division to open investigations into suspected abuse of office for personal profit or benefit in the recent documentary affecting the Attorney General’s office in the Upper East Region. The Special Prosecutor has also instructed the investigators to immediately secure the documentary to assist in the investigation,” Accra based Citi News reported.

In 2015, a similar investigative piece by leader of the Tiger Eye Private Investigation, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which captured over 30 judges and magistrates receiving bribes in order to free suspects on charges for crimes like murder, rape, and drug trafficking, was aired.

Following this exposé the Judicial Council set up a disciplinary committee to probe the revelations, leading to the sacking of over 20 high and lower court judges.

Also commenting on the latest exposé, Lawyer and former vice-chair of the Public Interest Accountability Committee (PIAC), Kwame Gyantoa urged the Chief Justice and the Attorney General to take all actions necessary to weed out the rot in the system

“I believe it’s up to the legal fraternity, in terms of those who handle it, the Chief Justice, the Attorney General to institute their own investigations, probably institute a certain form of checking whereby they set up their own and they distribute these to various courts. From where we stand, in order for justice to be effected for all and for people to believe in the system, we need to have a way of clearing this out” he noted.