The Executive Director of CDD-Ghana, Prof. H. Kwasi Prempeh, has weighed into the ongoing legal standoff involving the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), following a High Court ruling that questioned its prosecutorial authority.
Writing on Facebook on Wednesday, April 15, 2026, Prof. Prempeh advised the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng against pursuing further legal or public confrontation over the matter.
“Mr. Special Prosecutor, please don’t appeal, and don’t resign o; don’t! Don’t even fight it in the media. Relax koraa,” he wrote.
He further suggested that the OSP and its staff should “just sit tight and collect your pay and perks and spend your budget as planned,” adding humorously that “that, too, counts as public service in.”
The comments come in the wake of a developing legal impasse triggered by a High Court decision directing that the ongoing “rice scandal” case involving Issah Seidu and three others be referred to the Attorney-General for prosecution.
The court held that the OSP lacks an independent prosecutorial mandate, a position the anti-graft body has strongly rejected.
In response, the OSP has initiated steps to challenge the ruling, arguing that the High Court overstepped its jurisdiction.
According to the OSP, only the Supreme Court of Ghana has the authority to determine the constitutionality of legislation, including the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The situation has been further complicated by conflicting judicial decisions. While one High Court ordered the referral of the case to the Attorney-General, another High Court (Criminal Division) earlier dismissed an application by the accused persons to strike out the charges, and adjourned proceedings pending a determination by the Supreme Court on a related constitutional matter.
Despite the legal uncertainty, the OSP maintains that its mandate remains valid and enforceable until the Supreme Court rules otherwise.
It has also assured the public of its commitment to pursuing corruption-related prosecutions within the confines of the law.
