Are you trying to blackmail the judiciary? - Atik slams Special Prosecutor

Atik Mohammed has rebuked Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, over his criticisms of the Judiciary regarding corruption cases he sends to the court.

The Special Prosecutor, in a press conference on Wednesday, November 29, 2023, poured out his frustrations in having to see his cases prosecuted in the law courts.

“Indeed I have had several calls from well-meaning lawyers admonishing me that they have heard talk that our friends who have been elevated to the bench and presiding over cases in court do not take very kindly to criticism, especially of the public calling out variety as we do. And that if the office persists in the media releases, the judges will gang up against the office and throw out all our cases.

“It will be absolutely of no good should it be the case that the OSP is set against the judiciary or that the judiciary is against the OSP. That will surely spell disastrous consequences for this republic, especially in the fight against corruption to the glee of corrupt persons,” he told the press.

He warned that the increasing rate of dismissive rulings in his corruption cases would have serious implications for Ghana.

“I do not intend to sound as though I’m predicting doom but we are facing doom. With this development, it will not be long, [before] a suspected murderer or armed robber will boldly walk to court with the unthinkable prayer that the court should injunct law enforcement agencies from investigating him," Mr. Agyebeng cautioned.

But to Atik Mohammed, the Special Prosecutor is by his words and actions courting public disaffection for the Judiciary.

He wondered what kind of a lawyer is the Special Prosecutor for him to keep sniping at the Judiciary whenever he fails to achieve his goal.

"Are you trying to blackmail the Judiciary? This is attempted blackmail . . . he creates an impression as if there is a grand agenda against him and once you do that, you are further whittling away people's confidence in the Judiciary. If you don't put your things in order and you are bounced, you say the Judges are having an agenda against you. Are you the only one who goes to court?", the former PNC General Secretary slammed Kissi Agyebeng.

To him, the Special Prosecutor is incompetent, stressing "he is always in a rush to do something and he talks more than he actually works".

" . . as if he is the only one who understands the law or his understanding of the law is sacrosanct and that any other opinion other than his opinion is wrong," he further lashed out while commenting during Peace FM's "Kokrokoo" panel discussion programme.