Kissi Agyebeng, the Special Prosecutor nominee, asserts he will be unable to combat corruption in Ghana. He contended that he could make corruption extremely costly.
Speaking during his vetting in Parliament on Thursday, July 22, 2021, Mr. Agyebeng stated that he would put in place the right systems that will help check corruption.
“I am not naïve to assume that I am coming to stop corruption. There’s no way I can stop corruption. God himself will not acclaim to that but, I am going to make corruption very costly to engage in.”
“First, I am going to institute what I call ‘Pressure for Progress’ and in this quest, there will be a systemic review of all public sector institutions and the development of integrity plans.”
Mr. Agyebeng, a law lecturer and private legal practitioner, was nominated by Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Godfred Yeboah Dame to replace Martin Amidu, who resigned from the position in November 2020 under highly contentious circumstances.
About Kissi Agyebeng
He 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.
Achievements
He was awarded the Bentsi-Enchill prize for best graduating student of the University of Ghana School of Law in 2001.Mr.
Agyabeng received the E.N. Sowah Memorial Prize for Best Student in Family Law in 2003 when he enrolled at the Ghana School of Law and was called to the bar.
He was the Vice-Chair of the Appeals Committee of the Ghana Football Association.
Kissi is an Associate at the African Center for Cyber Law and Cyber Crime Prevention, and the National Moot Court Coordinator for the Commonwealth Moot Court Competition on International Criminal Justice. He is currently the Chairman of the Electronic Communications Tribunal.
He oversees the affairs and adjudication of appeals at the Tribunal as stipulated in The Electronic Communications Act, 2008 (Act 775).
Kissi Agyebeng is the Managing Partner of Cromwell Gray LLP, a reputable law firm in Accra
He has consulted for public sector institutions, including the Attorney General’s Department, Exim Bank Ghana Ltd., Youth Employment Authority, National Lottery Authority, Ghana National Petroleum Corporation, Trade Fair Company Limited, and the Ghana Olympic Committee.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor is tasked with investigating and prosecuting all suspected corruption and corruption-related offenses involving public officials, politically exposed individuals, and private-sector employees alleged to be involved in any corruption and corruption-related offenses.
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 offenses 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).
