Why OSP could not prosecute Adu Boahen despite faulting him for influence peddling

In a recent statement, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) detailed the reasons behind its inability to prosecute Charles Adu Boahen, a former Minister of State at the Ministry of Finance, despite faulting him for influence peddling.

The OSP's investigation, which stemmed from an investigative documentary titled 'Galamsey Economy,' produced by Tiger Eye P.I., and headed by renowned investigative journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas, raised serious concerns regarding influence peddling, a recognized form of corruption globally.

"Influence peddling or trading in influence is a significant index of corruption worldwide, and it is deprecated under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC)," the OSP explained.

However, while Ghana is a state party to the UNCAC, it has yet to specifically prohibit influence peddling or trading in influence as a criminal offense.

As a result, the OSP emphasized that it lacked the legal mandate to pursue prosecution in this matter, highlighting the legal limitations it faced.

The OSP underlined the pressing need for legislative reforms, including the passage of a Corrupt Practices Act and a Conduct of Public Officers Act, in alignment with calls from civil society groups, particularly OccupyGhana.

Ghana’s leading digital news platform, GhanaWeb, in conjunction with the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, is embarking on an aggressive campaign which is geared towards ensuring that parliament passes comprehensive legislation to guide organ harvesting, organ donation, and organ transplantation in the country.

NAY/AE