Constitutional Rights and Policy Strategy Advisor at Democracy Hub, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, has slammed the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over the detention of private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu, calling the agency’s actions “out of conduct.”
Mr. Kpebu was detained on Wednesday following a verbal exchange with a soldier at the OSP premises while responding to an inquiry into corruption claims. He was released on bail after several hours in custody.
Vormawor criticized the OSP’s handling of the situation, saying, “ Whatever altercation happened between Martin and the soldier, you (OSP) do not have the powers. It is not a crime that is within your mandate. You say that Martin has been rude consistently but there’s no physical violence or threat of harm or death. So a person is entitled the OSP and the soldier there foolish and its still does not culminate into a crime”.
He added,
“ You are aggrieved that he dared say this about the OSP and so you must show him where power lies. that’s what it reads like. That’s what everybody is saying”.
Despite his strong rebuke, Vormawor affirmed his support for the OSP’s anti-corruption role. “When Martin made the allegations against the OSP, and said he wanted to do a demonstration, I told him I supported the Office and don’t want to undermine the office. I don’t want it to have this start and stop with the office. And I have said this publicly as well that I do support the office.”
He warned that scrapping the office would be a victory for corruption in Ghana.
