Why Martin Amidu resigned as Special Prosecutor [LETTER TO PRESIDENT]
He was appointed to lead the fight against corruption for seven years, but after nearly three years since he was sworn into office, the Special Prosecutor, Mr Matin Alamisi Burns Kaiser Amidu, has resigned.
In a letter issued Monday, November 16, 2020 and addressed to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr Amidu said he was resigning due to “the lack of respect of the independence of his office.”
He cited the reaction he got from the Presidency on the corruption risk assessment he conducted on the Gold Royalties Monetisation Transaction arrangement, popularly referred to as the Agyapa deal, as the final push that led him to resign.
Mr Amidu accused President Akufo-Addo of trying to direct him on how to proceed with the corruption risk assessment the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) had conducted on the Agyapa deal.
According to him, President Akufo-Addo allegedly tried to convince him to take a response of the Finance Minister to the corruption risk assessment, which he refused, adding “that would have compromised my independence as the Special Prosecutor.”
“It thus became abundantly clear to me that I cannot continue under your government as the Special Prosecutor in the performance of the functions of my office in preventing and fighting corruption and corruption-related offences,” the letter alleged.
Inadequate staff
Mr Amidu further stated in the letter that his resignation was also premised on the limited number of staff sent to his outfit.
