The Minority in Parliament has served notice it may challenge the legality of President Nana Akufo-Addo’s proposed Independent Prosecutor’s office.
Speaking to Citi News, the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, said this action could involve his side going to the Supreme Court.
This followed the Attorney General-nominee, Gloria Akuffo’s assertion that the Independent Prosecutor’s office would be established via an Act of Parliament during her vetting by Parliament on Saturday.
The person to hold the office would be nominated by the President and would be acting on behalf of the Attorney General with a focus on public corruption, as a means to restore confidence in the department, Ms. Akuffo explained to the Appointments Committee of Parliament.
Mr. Iddrisu however explained that, his side of parliament believes the establishment of a special prosecutor’s office required much more than an Act of Parliament.
Mr. Iddrisu insisted that, the Special Prosecutor’s office could not be established without tinkering with Article 88 of the constitution, which deals with the role of the Attorney-General.
“…That is my understanding of the law. It belongs to the executive chapter of the constitution which is entrenched, therefore you cannot be seeking to review that through an Act of Parliament… I am certain that article 88 is entrenched, and not that which can be reviewed simply through a process of an Act of Parliament,” he explained.
The Minority leader thus said, they “will subject that proposition to strict legal tests even if it includes examining it and considering a legal pronouncement at the highest level of the Supreme Court on that matter, we will do because we will protect jealously the constitution.”
What Article 88 of the Constitution says
(1) There shall be an Attorney-General of Ghana who shall be a Minister of State and the principal legal adviser to the Government.
(2) The Attorney-General shall discharge such other duties of a legal nature as may be referred or assigned to him by the President, or imposed on him by this Constitution or any other law.
(3) The Attorney-General shall be responsible for the initiation and conduct of all prosecutions of criminal offences.
(4) All offences prosecuted in the name of the Republic of Ghana shall be at the suit of the Attorney-General or any other person authorised by him in accordance with the law.
(5) The Attorney-General shall be responsible for the institution and conduct of all civil cases on behalf of the State; and all civil proceedings against the State shall be instituted against the Attorney-General as defendant.
(6) The Attorney-General shall have audience in all courts in Ghana.
Source: Citi News
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"Edey bee keke"!!. And it is going to "bee keke", for all those who have fraudulently taken the nation's money. Nsawam will be your home for many years. Sabi Sabi people. Try to put up a stop to it. It will go to parliament and simple majority will pass it. Who say man no dey
Ghanaians will speak for themselves! What is NDC AFRAID OF? YOUR DEEDS WILL FOLLOW YOU. Ghanaiana will NOT allow NDC to enjoy their LOOT! COME SPECIAL PROSECUTOR, COME! GHANA IS WAITING FOR YOU, SPECIAL PROSECUTOR!
HARUNA IDDRISU SHOULD STOP THIS STUDENTS' POLITICS AND GROW TO BECOME A MATURED AND GOOD CITIZEN OF GHANA WHO HAS THE COUNTRY GHANA AT HEART. I DON'T GET THE RATIONAL BEHIND THE CHALLENGE OF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR IF THE SPECIAL PROSECUTOR'S IS TO SERVE THE COUNTRY AND THE CITIZENS INTEREST. ME AS A GOOD AND WELL BEHAVED CITIZEN IS NOT AFRAID OF ANY SPECIAL PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE. THEREFORE, MY HUMBLE ADVICE TO HON. HARUNA IS TO FORGET ABOUT ANY POSSIBLE CHALLENGE AND ALLOW THE RULE OF LAW TO DEAL WITH BAD AND CORRUPT OFFICIALS IN THE COUNTRY. THE FINANCIAL INDISCIPLINE IN GHANA IS GETTING OUT OF HAND.
Mahama ba 2020 a Adum Adum no begya
So Mr Haruna Iddrisu !!!!! with all your eloquent talk of being an honest man what is your problem with a prosecutor office to examine these back room deals and stilling that you were involved in ; massa ; if you have stolen anything and have not gotten yourself in any faeces of corruption then WHAT ARE YOUR PROBLEMS because it is no point hiding behind the law at the supreme court to save the NDC because ' Mr LAW 'President Nana Addo the law President has the finest brains in the law to seek advice on the matter; this is because the prosecutor can easily be set up as a sole prosecutor dealing with FRAUD amongst government officials and then report back to the AG ; if there a prima facies case against you Haruna Idrrisu and Jon Mahama or others you shall be jailed -PERIOD !!!!!!as for the supreme court don't bother because you shall lose BIG TIME !!!!!!
Gloria says she will bring the bill to parliament for ur input so why not wait for it. When are u going to grow from this student style politics ebeii
BE READY THEN, T---I--E--V---E---S.
aduru h), fear grip these guys
haruna iddrisu u fear the special court because of the vodaphone i million dollars scandal and the alleged 10 houses you have and other deals wait , u wil soon appear and tell how a poor bouy likr u bought all this cars and houses, from gh people,