The learned Deputy Attorney-General of the Republic of Ghana, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai has assured the Presiding Judge sitting at the Criminal Division 4 of the High Court Bench, Her Ladyship Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay that his office shall cause inquiries into the veracity of claims of accused person through their lawyers that their Clients were detained and investigated for hours upon their report to their office pursuant to the orders of the Court.

The learned Deputy Attorney-General who was at the Bar and witnessed the barrage of accusations from lawyers for the accused persons against the Office of the Special Prosecutor and the attempts by the Principal Prosecutor, the learned Adelaide Kobiri-Woode, fend off the accusations was compelled to suggest the intent of his office to the Court.

This was after the Presiding Judge sought a comment from him on the accusations traded at the Bar against the OSP.

STAR OF THE MONTH - Professor Kenneth Agyemang Attafuah Esq.

The accusations

The learned Joseph Dindiok Kpemka informed the Court of the detention of Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid and his Lawyer, the learned Akbar Alkomeini for well over 5 hours when the 1st accused reported to the OSP as directed by the Court. Israel Ackah Esq., learned Counsel for the second accused person supplied the same complaint to the Court as he suffered the same fate upon his Client's weekly report to the office in his company.

The Court, discouraged the conduct of the investigations team of the OSP upon knowledge of the accusation and a letter from the OSP directed at the 1st accused, Dr. Hamid, for his presence at the OSP for further investigations over the matter already in Court which was about to enter the trial phase.

The Court signaled its displeasure of the abuse of the OSP of the orders of the Court directed at the accused persons to report weekly to their office when the Court was seized with the matter. The Court thus varied the frequency of reporting from weekly to once a month.

CMC in earnest

The Court is billed to have a marathon of case management conferences for the 9 accused persons for the commencement of trial which shall see the subpoena applications for Chief Executive Officers of some Oil Marketing Companies.

The conferences which shall commence and be held throughout the month of February follows after the filing of about 85 exhibits, mainly caution and investigation statements from the accused persons as contained in the witness statement of the lone witness offered by the OSP.