By Prince Ahenkorah
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), has taken steps on what they refer to as an avenue to protect one of its key witnesses in the ongoing corruption trial involving the former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue, and two others.
The OSP has told the High Court to conduct part of the proceedings in-camera, citing safety concerns for an undercover investigator expected to testify.
The request, made on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, before Justice Audrey Kocuvi-Tay, was presented by lead prosecutor Akua Adiyiah.
She explained that the first witness, Benjamin Agyepong, had operated undercover during the investigation, and revealing his identity in open court could endanger him.
“Our humble request is that the court be cleared during the testimony of our first witness, who worked undercover, to ensure his personal safety,” Adiyiah told the court.
However, defense counsel for Bissue and his co-accused, Raphael Mensah and Dr. Naa Dedei Tagoe, opposed the request, arguing that such a move could compromise transparency and public confidence in the judicial process.
After hearing both arguments, Justice Kocuvi-Tay directed the OSP to submit a formal written application justifying the need for a private hearing.
The case has been adjourned to October 29, 2025, for consideration of the motion.
This development adds a new twist to a case that has remained under public scrutiny since 2019, when journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his Tiger Eye PI team released an undercover documentary allegedly exposing corruption and illegal mining activities.
Bissue, who served as IMCIM Secretary at the time, was accused of aiding the issuance of unlawful mining permits and accepting bribes to shield certain operators.
The New Republic continues to monitor the case closely and hopes that this will not become another instance where the OSP makes strong anti-corruption promises but fails to meet public expectations for justice.