The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has escalated its fight against corruption by charging former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue, and Andy Thomas Owusu with 15 counts of corruption-related offenses.
The charges, filed at the High Court, allege that the duo abused their public offices for personal gain in connection with illegal mining operations.
According to the charge sheet, Charles Bissue is accused of corruptly using his position as IMCIM Secretary to accept GHC15,000 from Bemanin Adjapong through Andy Owusu on January 22, 2019, in Accra.
This alleged transaction is said to have enabled certain mining operators to circumvent established procedures, including document verification, permit acquisition, concession demarcation, and vetting processes, as outlined in the Committee’s 2018 “Road Map for Lifting of Ban on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining.”
The OSP alleges that Bissue’s actions unlawfully fast-tracked the renewal of mining permits for specific operators, undermining the integrity of Ghana’s mining regulations.
The 15-count charge sheet details multiple offenses involving abuse of office, corruption, and attempts to subvert lawful mining regulations during the peak of Ghana’s crackdown on illegal mining activities, popularly known as “galamsey.”
This high-profile case is expected to be a significant test of the OSP’s renewed efforts to prosecute corruption cases, particularly those linked to the contentious fight against illegal mining. As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the OSP’s efforts will impact the fight against galamsey and corruption in the country.
