Deputy Attorney-General Rejects Claims NDC Opposes Independent Prosecutor
Justice Srem-Sai calls for constitutional reforms amid dispute over Office of the Special Prosecutor powers
Deputy Attorney-General, Justice Srem-Sai, has dismissed claims that members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) oppose the establishment of an independent prosecutorial authority.
His comments follow suggestions that some party members are against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), with sections of the public also calling for the anti-corruption institution to be scrapped.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s ‘The Point of View’, Srem-Sai maintained that the NDC has consistently supported the concept of an independent prosecutorial system but believes constitutional amendments are necessary to properly entrench it.
“There’s no one in NDC that I know of or have ever heard who is against an independent prosecutorial authority. Our manifesto was emphatic that we’re not against it,” he stated.
His remarks come in the wake of a High Court of Ghana ruling on April 15, 2026, directing the Attorney-General’s Department to take over all criminal prosecutions being handled by the OSP, pending formal approval from the Attorney-General.
The decision followed a judicial review application challenging the prosecutorial authority of the anti-corruption body.
However, the OSP has rejected the ruling, arguing that the court exceeded its jurisdiction. The office insists its enabling law grants its prosecutorial powers and says it is taking steps to overturn the decision.
Srem-Sai noted that similar tensions between prosecutorial bodies and Attorneys-General exist in other common law jurisdictions, suggesting Ghana could draw lessons from such systems.
“It is not just in Ghana… it’s in almost all Anglo countries and common law jurisdictions,” he said.
The case was filed by Peter Archibold Hyde, one of four individuals under investigation by the OSP, alongside Alhaji Seidu, James Keck Osei, and John Abban.
They are alleged to have conspired to unlawfully take possession of containers using forged documents, including a falsified letter purportedly from the Office of the then Vice President.
In its ruling, the High Court held that while the OSP has the mandate to investigate corruption-related offences, it must obtain approval from the Attorney-General before initiating prosecutions.
The case has reignited debate over the independence of anti-corruption institutions and the need for legal reforms to clarify their powers.
