Martin Amidu hopeful he’ll prosecute this year

Speaking in a Citi News interview, the Special Prosecutor said “God willing” his Office will prosecute its first case this year.

Martin Amidu, who was recently publicly criticised over his inability to prosecute any of the numerous alleged cases of corruption involving politicians of the previous and current government as expected by many Ghanaians a year after his nomination, complained that he was yet to engage prosecutors several months after he officially started work.

Former president Jerry John Rawlings, who had commended the appointment of Martin Amidu to head the Office, recently had cause to wonder about what may have kept him from prosecuting any cases of alleged corruption.

“I wonder what is holding him up. We do not want to see the perpetuation of crime. We don’t want to see crimes being committed with impunity. The power of virtue must override the power of vice,” the former President said when the leadership of the Assemblies of God Church paid a courtesy call on him on Thursday.

But Martin Amidu in the Citi News interview said some cases he was currently investigating were near completion and he will ensure that he sticks to his mandate and only drag persons to court once his office finds ample evidence against them.

“It is difficult for me to say you are going to see the first prosecution tomorrow or tomorrow next. As we sit now, I am yet to have engaged prosecutors, I have a few investigators, I am trying to get a few prosecutors who will handle whatever dockets are completed….When I am certain that a citizen has to lose his right by being put before a court to answer for an offense, he will hear it. I don’t think it is proper for me to announce that somebody has been arrested and he is being investigated when you don’t even have any evidence as to whether the evidence is true or false.”

Martin Amidu said his office was currently dealing with many cases that involved persons in both the NDC and NPP and he was determined to complete those investigations without any hindrances.

“We are investigating so many other cases, some of them are near completion. They involve very sensitive and important people. We are investigating people from both divides and nobody can stop it,” he said.

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Soure: citinewsroom