The Chief Executive for the Ghana Shippers Authority, GSA Prof. Ransford Gyampo has clashed with Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng over ongoing investigation against former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta involving the GRA-SML deal.
Prof. Gyampo in a media engagement cautioned the Special Prosecutor to guard against personal vendetta in his probe of the deal which has resulted in a raid on the offices of the company. The investigations are linked to the $100 million revenue monitoring deal entered into by the Nana Addo administration for which former finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta is equally wanted by the OSP.
“I hope the OSP is not motivated by vendetta but out of patriotism,” Prof. Gyampo stated
The OSP in a statement disclosed Prof. Gyampo has called and sent messages to the Special Prosecutor over the matter and warned public office holders against interfering in active investigations.
“The OSP wishes to place on record that its actions involving the former Finance Minister are based on stated allegations of corruption and corruption-related offences, particularly abuse of office for profit, including the multi-year contract awarded to Strategic Mobilisation Limited (SML)” the statement read
“Incidentally, the said CEO called and sent messages to the Office in respect of SML while officers of the OSP and National Security were still conducting a legal search of SML’s premises,” the statement added.
While welcoming constructive criticism, the Special Prosecutor cautioned public officials against interfering—whether directly or through public commentary—in ongoing investigations.
“It cautions public officials to refrain from interfering—whether directly or through unfounded public statements—with ongoing investigations. Such actions have the potential to undermine the fight against corruption,” the OSP warned.
Well, Prof. Gyampo has hit back at the OSP revealing his contacts to the office is to caution against a possible financial loss to the state occasioned by the ongoing probe and nothing untoward. He took to Facebook to react to the statement from the OSP.
“Kissi,
I didn’t call your office, I called YOU and we never spoke on phone because you said you couldn’t speak and that you were going to call back.
I texted you just to caution you not to cause financial loss to the state even as you go about your investigations, which I fully favor.
Given what I have heard from across the political divide about your possible intentions, I only expressed the hope that your intentions are patriotic and not personal. That’s all.
It is fine to assure Ghanaians about your intentions but the bit that talks about me calling your office and insinuating that perhaps I called to ask you to do something untoward is unfair and makes me then doubt your intentions the more. I will circulate our WhatsApp texts also to make the point that I only expressed concern about potential financial loss to Ghana.” Gyampo posted
