The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng has been advised to distance himself from the probe into Galamsey issues by his office to avoid possible conflict of interest.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) in a statement announced its intention to investigate issues of corruption and corruption related matters surrounding the galamsey fight in the country.
But an anti-corruption crusader, Vitus Azeem has asked the SP to stay away completely from all investigations on galamsey and allow his office to do so.
According to him, this will be in the best interest of the case after it emerged that Kissi Agyebeng was one of the lawyers for Anas’ Tiger Eye P.I – the agency which did the galamsey fraud documentary.
Mr. Azeem who was speaking on Starr FM, an Accra based radio station said, it will be proper for the Special Prosecutor to hand over the investigations to his deputies to avoid conflict of interest.
This is because of his relationship with Tiger Eye P.I which captured Charles Bissue, a person of interest receiving money when he served as secretary to the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
“There is an issue there but the again you can say Kissi Agyebeng is not the Office of Special Prosecutor. He is the Special Prosecutor but he works with people. There is a deputy Special Prosecutor and other people, so what he can do is not to take up the matter himself personally but the office should be able to take up the matter,” he said.
Adding that,” It is a risk that he might be tempted to be biased or tempted to influence the investigation in a certain direction but ones his attention has been drawn to it, that should make him to distance himself from the main investigation of the matter and leave it to his subordinates to do the work.
Vitus Azeem believes that, ones the Special Prosecutor is aware of the possible conflict of interest, its proper he stay away from the whole investigations.
“One thing about conflict of interest is, when you are aware of it you take steps to avoid it or minimize is such that it does not influence or affect whatever decisions that are going to be taken in connection with the matter.
“I believe the best thing is for him to come and open up and say no he is not going to be part of the investigations, he should stay away because of his relationship,” He added.
Source: theGhanaianvoic.com