Special Prosecutor's Office was a 'political gimmick' - Kwesi Pratt Jnr

The Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr, has reiterated his long-held view that the creation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) was a mere political gimmick that is destined to fail under the current constitutional framework.

Speaking on Good Morning Ghana on October 22, 2025, Pratt argued that the OSP's effectiveness is fatally undermined because the power to prosecute remains solely vested in the Attorney General (AG), who, like the Special Prosecutor, is appointed by the president.

"When the Office of Special Prosecutor was being established, we made the point that it was a useless enterprise as it is a political gimmick," Pratt stated.

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He maintained that as long as the constitution is not amended to shift the power of prosecution away from the presidential-appointed AG, the OSP "will not serve the purpose for which it was being created."

Pratt emphasised that the shared appointment authority compromises the perceived independence of the OSP.

"For as long as it's the president who appoints the Special Prosecutor, it has not changed the aesthetics around the appointment of the Attorney General because they were all appointed by the president. The aesthetics will not be changed in any substantial way," he asserted.

The veteran journalist also reflected on previous advice he offered to political administrations.

He recalled how, during a lecture, he cautioned against making the prosecution of corrupt elements the central focus of an incoming government.

He stated that the most crucial priority, which makes sound political sense, should be to alleviate the suffering of the people immediately.

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"The fight against corruption and all of those things are important, but you don't present it as your main focus," he advised.

Pratt noted that after nine months in office, there has been no substantial move towards realising the objective of swift prosecution, suggesting the problem lies not with the AG or the OSP, but with Ghana's judicial system itself.

"Our legal and judicial system is built in such a way that if you have the resources, you can drag one case for 20 years without achieving the results. This is the legal system... we have constructed," he added.

VPO/AE

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