Don’t expect much from Special Prosecutor this year – Azeem

Anti Corruption campaigner, Vitus Azeem has advised Ghanaians to lower their expectation of the Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu to deliver his mandate this year because it is an election year.

According to him looking at how politicized things are in Ghana, if Mr Amidu should go after any corrupt political figure either in the ruling party or opposition party such a move will be misconstrued as he doing politics.

Several Ghanaians have expressed their dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work by the office of the Special Prosecutor as expectations of him have not materialized

For instance, former President Jerry John Rawlings has expressed concern about the delay in the prosecution of corruption-related cases by the Special Prosecutor.

But Mr Amidu has assured the public that the office will soon start prosecuting corruption-related cases, saying he could only successfully execute his mandate with tact and not with emotions and reckless speed.

But commenting on the issue on Starr Chat with Bola Ray, Mr. Vitus Azeem who was the former Head of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, maintained that though Mr. Amidu did fantastically as a private lawyer prosecuting corrupt cases, he’ll be unable to do much this year.

“Mr Amidu himself said if he’s not able to do much before the end of 2019 it will be difficult for him to do anything. Because if he went after the ruling party of the opposition party they would say it is politics. And so it is difficult to expect him to do much for the rest of this year. The Office of the Special Prosecutor can’t do much this year being an election one.”