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0 Private legal practitioner Vickie Bright has strongly defended the independence and actions of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), asserting that its ongoing investigations into high-profile individuals, including former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta, are in line with its mandate and should not be dismissed as politically motivated.
Speaking today, Monday, June 23, on JoyNews’ AM Show, Ms Bright, a former advisor to former President John Agyekum Kufuor, emphasised that accountability for public officials transcends political affiliations.
The Deputy Minister of State at the Presidency in the John Agyekum Kufuor administration comes at a time of heightened public scrutiny surrounding the OSP’s activities, particularly the last Interpol Red Notice issued for Ken Ofori-Atta, who served as Finance Minister for seven years under the previous administration.
The Red Notice, issued at the OSP’s request, seeks to locate and provisionally arrest Mr Ofori-Atta following his failure to appear for questioning on corruption-related allegations.
Interpol Red Notices are issued for fugitives wanted for prosecution or to serve a sentence in relation to serious ordinary law crimes like fraud and are subject to strict compliance with Interpol’s rules.
The drive by the OSP has sparked criticisms from some members of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), describing the development as a political witch-hunt.
However, Ms Bright thinks otherwise.
“I don’t see any political colouration in the way he’s [Special Prosecutor] going about his business. If you look at his mandate, he’s just fulfilling the mandate, you know, and he should be allowed to do so,” Ms Bright stated firmly.
The OSP, established in 2018 under Act 959, is an independent anti-corruption agency tasked with investigating and prosecuting specific cases of alleged corruption involving public officers, politically exposed persons, and private individuals.
While refraining from making direct accusations, she stressed the inherent accountability required of public officeholders.
“I’m not saying that Ken [Ofori-Atta] is corrupt or otherwise because I don’t know the full facts but what I am saying is that if you’re a public official, you swore an oath, you are in office, you have controlled our public finances over an 8-year period and you are required to come and answer questions, then you should make it easy to answer those questions.”
She further elaborated on the elevated scrutiny that comes with holding public office.
“Once you accept, you know, you have to accept that once you occupy any position of any public office, let me put it that way, you have actually agreed to greater scrutiny than would be on you or me.”
This increased scrutiny, she noted, does not negate fundamental human rights but necessitates a higher degree of transparency.
Addressing criticisms that the OSP’s actions might be a vendetta or an attempt by the Special Prosecutor to “protect his job”, Ms Bright dismissed such claims outright.
“This question about trying to protect his job, he’s a lawyer, for God’s sake; he can work anywhere, you know; he can always earn a living as a lawyer. So it should not be reduced; let’s not reduce the discourse to that level.”
She pointed to the strict criteria for an Interpol Red Notice, emphasising its gravity.
“Interpol is not in the business of just naming people willy-nilly just because someone’s told them to choose there are certain conditions you have to meet before they put you on that list because it’s a very serious matter… so the fact that they have deemed it fit that Ken should qualify to be on that list also speaks, you know, volumes,” she asserted.
Ms Bright also highlighted that the OSP is not acting in isolation.
“In any event, it’s not just the OSP; my understanding is that there are other security agencies that would also like to have a chat with Ken.”
This suggests a broader, multi-agency approach to accountability, reinforcing the notion that investigations are fact-driven rather than politically motivated.
Ms Bright further cautioned against premature judgment regarding the OSP’s overall performance, acknowledging past challenges faced by anti-corruption bodies.
She expressed optimism about the current administration’s perceived willingness to support anti-corruption efforts.
“So this is a government that I see is willing to support in the fight against corruption, so let us see how the OSP performs being given a free hand to fight corruption. If it still can’t deliver, then we can have that conversation.”
