Anti-Corruption Office Accused of Chasing Headlines, Not Conviction
By Prince Ahenkorah
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has once again found itself at the centre of controversy, this time over unsubstantiated claims of assassination attempts on its head, Kissi Agyebeng.
The allegations, made publicly by the OSP’s Director of Strategy, Research and Communications, Samuel Appiah Darko, have drawn sharp rebuke from the Ministry of the Interior, which has denied any knowledge of such threats.
Speaking on Joy FM’s _Newsfile programme, Darko claimed that Agyebeng had survived two assassination attempts, attributing the threats to the OSP’s high-profile anti-corruption investigations.
He further alleged that he himself had been assaulted and handcuffed by 17 police officers in a separate incident, painting a picture of an institution under siege.
The Interior Ministry, however, swiftly issued a statement on 8 December, stating that no such incidents had ever been reported to the police or any national security agency. Preliminary checks, it said, revealed no formal complaint or intelligence record to support the OSP’s claims.
The Ministry has since launched an investigation into both the alleged assassination attempts and the purported police assault.
The timing and tone of the OSP’s revelations have raised eyebrows within government and civil society circles.
Critics suggest the office is increasingly resorting to public theatrics to deflect from its waning credibility and lack of prosecutorial results.
Once heralded as a bold institutional innovation in Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture, the OSP has struggled to secure convictions in major cases, and its internal cohesion has been undermined by leaks, resignations, and public spats.
Observers note that the OSP’s latest claims come amid growing scrutiny over its handling of high-stakes investigations, including alleged fuel diversions worth over GH₵1.4 billion. While the office insists it is being targeted by powerful interests, its failure to follow basic security protocols such as reporting threats to the appropriate authorities has further eroded public trust.
The Ministry’s response, unusually direct, reflects mounting frustration within government over what some insiders describe as the OSP’s “performative posture.” A senior security official told The New Republic that “if the threats were real, the Special Prosecutor had every channel available to report them. Going on radio to make such claims without evidence is reckless.”
The OSP’s communications strategy has also come under fire. Rather than issuing formal statements or engaging institutional channels, the office has increasingly relied on media appearances and dramatic rhetoric to shape public perception. This has led to accusations that it is more interested in headlines than hard prosecutions.
The Interior Ministry’s insistence that “crime does not expire” signals its intent to pursue the matter, but the broader damage may already be done. With the OSP’s integrity under question and its relationship with other state institutions fraying, the episode underscores the fragility of Ghana’s anti-corruption infrastructure.
As the investigation unfolds, the spotlight will remain on whether the OSP can recalibrate its approach and restore public confidence or whether it will continue to be seen as a politically embattled institution struggling to justify its mandate.