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OSP responds to claims by Lawyer Martin Kpebu, details events leading to his Arrest
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has responded to claims made by private legal practitioner, Martin Kpebu, following his arrest at the OSP premises.
In a statement issued by Sammy Darko, Director of Strategy, Research and Communication, the Office said Mr. Kpebu has a history of misconduct whenever he visits the OSP, often giving the public a different version of events afterward.
According to the Office, this is not the first or second time he has clashed with security officers performing their lawful duties.
The OSP referenced previous instances where Mr. Kpebu made public claims that later turned out to be false, including his statement that 16 petitions had been filed for the removal of the Special Prosecutor claims he later admitted were unverified.
The OSP said the confrontation that led to his arrest has nothing to do with the ongoing investigation into allegations he made against the Special Prosecutor.
It stated that he has repeatedly refused to cooperate with investigators, often demanding that certain officers be removed from the panel and then introducing new challenges after those demands are met. Despite these difficulties, investigators have continued with their work, the Office added.
In the statement, the OSP rejected claims by Mr. Kpebu that “junior staff” were handling his case.
It clarified that the officers working on the matter hold ranks equivalent to Deputy Commissioners of Police.
It also dismissed his assertion that “the OSP is investigating itself,” explaining that fact-finding committees are meant to establish facts, not determine guilt.
The Office compared this to misconduct cases in other institutions, noting that police matters are not investigated by fire service officers and vice versa.
Providing details of what happened on the day of the incident, the OSP said Mr. Kpebu arrived at the premises, parked outside the gate, and began speaking to journalists, a routine practice for him.
Security officers cautioned him not to block the entrance, after which he moved to a nearby food vendor’s spot to continue the interview. When he entered the compound, officers reminded him that taking pictures or videos on the premises was not allowed.
According to the OSP, he became angry, insulted the officers, and claimed he could act however he wished.
It stated that he referred to the officers and even the OSP leadership as “nobodies” who would soon be removed.
His behaviour, the Office said, led to his arrest for obstructing officers in the performance of their duties. The OSP stressed that the arrest was done without force and that there is no internal record of any assault or mistreatment.
The Office added that Mr. Kpebu was granted bail through normal administrative procedures. However, one of his lawyers allegedly refused to leave the premises, insulted officers, and caused a scene.
She was later escorted out without the use of force. Mr. Kpebu was then transferred to a designated holding area as part of standard processing.
The OSP said all procedures followed protocol and that he was not denied access to legal representation at any point.
The statement also rejected suggestions that the OSP had “fallen into a trap.”
It said the Office acted strictly within the law and that no amount of public influence, connections, or media prominence should place anyone above lawful procedures.
It added that similar behaviour at any police or intelligence facility would also result in immediate arrest.
According to the OSP, Mr. Kpebu is expected to report back to the Office at 11 a.m. today to assist with further investigations into the obstruction case.
A different date will be announced for the continuation of the inquiry into his allegations of corruption.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The family of Ambassador James Victor Gbeho, a distinguished statesman and diplomat, has paid a courtesy call on President John Dramani Mahama. They officially informed him of his passing.
The delegation, representing the Gbeho family, noted that it was culturally and diplomatically important to formally notify the President of the loss before making a public announcement of his death.
Ambassador Gbeho was a towering figure in Ghanaian and international politics. He served in many diplomatic missions, including New York. He was Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, a Member of Parliament for the Anlo constituency, and President (formerly Executive Secretary) of the ECOWAS Commission.
He was widely respected for his role in regional integration and his contributions to global diplomacy at the United Nations.
President Mahama expressed his condolences and shared reflections on Ambassador Gbeho’s contributions to the country, West Africa and the world.
Funeral details will be announced later.
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, has revoked all firearm permits in Ghana with immediate effect and announced a new registration process for all gun owners.
The minister made the announcement on Tuesday, June 23, at the information service department saying all individuals who currently hold licences to own firearms or sidearms must undergo a fresh registration process.
“From this afternoon, all permits that have been granted to any individual that you are holding a sidearm or firearm is hereby revoked,” Mr Muntaka said.
He explained that the government had identified gaps in the country’s firearm registration system and needed to introduce stricter measures to improve public safety.
“We are opening the window where everyone will have to come forward again to register or re-register the gun because we’ve changed the procedure,” he stated.
According to him, the government decided not to wait until the end of the year to make the changes because lives could still be saved within the next six months.
The Interior Minister said one of the new requirements would be mandatory mental health screening for applicants seeking firearm licences.
“We’ve seen that people with mental health have already gone through and have the sidearm. Now we are introducing mental health. Before we give you the sidearm, we have to be sure that you have the mental stability to hold the firearms,” he said.
Mr Muntaka also announced that applicants would be required to undergo drug tests before being granted licences.
“We’ve also realised that people who are on drugs are also holding their arms and they are legitimate because it’s been registered. Now you have to go through drug tests to be sure that you are not on drugs before you can hold sidearms,” he added.
The minister said the new measures form part of efforts by the government to tighten firearm control and prevent legally registered weapons from falling into the wrong hands.
He urged all firearm owners to cooperate with the new registration process once details of the exercise are announced.
By: Jacob Aggrey
