Andy Thomas Owusu, the second accused in the corruption trial involving Charles Bissue, has applied for a plea bargain.
Prosecutors from the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) informed the Accra High Court of this request on Thursday. They asked for more time to conclude talks and complete documentation. The court agreed and adjourned the case to June 4, 2025.
Owusu and Bissue are facing 15 charges, including corruption, abuse of office, and attempts to bypass mining laws.
The OSP filed the charges on April 28, 2025. The case centers on bribes allegedly paid in 2019 to renew an expired mining license. Investigators say Bissue received a total of GHS 35,000 in three payments, allegedly to speed up the process without proper vetting.
The charges include using public office for profit and corruption by a public officer.
At their first court appearance on May 6, both men pleaded not guilty. The court granted each of them GHS 200,000 bail. They must report to the OSP once a month and have submitted their passports to the court.
With Owusu now seeking a plea deal, the next hearing could shift the direction of the case.
