Vetting of Kissi Agyebeng as Special Prosecutor slated for July 22

The Appointments Committee of Parliament has slated the vetting of Mr.  Kissi Agyebeng as Special Prosecutor for Thursday, July 22, 2021.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the Clerk to the Appointments Committee on Monday, July 12, 2021.

According to the press statement, the vetting will take place at the committee rooms 1,2, and 3 of the New Administration Block of Parliament House at 10:00 am.

The Attorney-General, Godfred Yeboah Dame, nominated the law lecturer and private legal practitioner as a replacement for Martin Amidu, who resigned from the position in November 2020.

Section 13 (8) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959) requires the President to appoint a person qualified for appointment as Special Prosecutor within six months of the Office becoming vacant.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has the mandate to investigate and prosecute all suspected corruption and corruption-related offences as pertaining to public officers, politically exposed persons, and persons in the private sector alleged to have been involved in any corruption and corruption-related offences.

Apart from initiating investigations on its own, Act 959 gives the Office of the Special Prosecutor the power to receive and investigate complaints of alleged corruption from the public or investigate suspected corruption or corruption-related offences upon referral from public bodies such as the Attorney General’s Department, the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) and the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).

Kissi Agyebeng was called to the Ghana Bar in October 2003 and holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree from the University of Ghana, as well as Master of Laws (LLM) degrees from Schulich School of Law, Dalhousie University, Canada, and Cornell Law School, USA.

He has, since 2006, been teaching Criminal Law at the University of Ghana, whilst engaging in private law practice.