Citi News understands that Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, is being investigated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor for alleged corrupt activities linked to his role as Chairman of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).
According to Citi News sources close to the Office of the Special Prosecutor, the renowned surgeon was arrested and granted bail a month ago when he was invited to answer questions about the activities and expenditure of IMCIM.
The report was controversial, as Professor Frimpong-Boateng accused some government appointees and persons linked to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) of their involvement in illegal mining.
However, when he appeared before the OSP, he was notified of investigations into alleged expenditure irregularities.
After being interrogated, he was granted a self-recognizance bail of GH¢2 million.
Officers from the OSP reportedly followed him to his residence to confirm his address, in line with the bail conditions, after which he was allowed to leave.
We’re already probing issues raised in Frimpong-Boateng’s report – OSP
In his report, Professor Frimpong-Boateng, who is a former Chairman of the now defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, accused some stalwarts of the Akufo-Addo government of interfering in his galamsey [illegal small-scale mining] fight or being engaged in galamsey.
Many stakeholders subsequently called on the OSP to investigate the allegations made in the report.
The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, in a statement on May 2, assured the public and civil society that the investigation was already underway and far-reaching.
He said his outfit commenced investigations in 2022 into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in illegal mining, and that it also covers claims raised in the report by the former Chairman of the defunct IMCIM.
“The OSP acknowledges the recent calls for action and investigations into these matters by the public and civil society following the publication of a report on parts of these matters authored by a former Minister for Environment, Science, Technology & Innovation and head of the dissolved IMCIM.
“The OSP welcomes the calls for action and investigations and it assures the public and civil society that its investigation is ongoing and far-reaching and it also covers the matters raised in the report published by the head of the dissolved IMCIM”.
