The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue, and one Andy Thomas Owusu with 15 counts of corruption-related offences.
The charges, filed at the High Court, accuse the two of abusing public office for personal gain in connection with illegal mining operations.
In the first count, Mr. Bissue is accused of using his public office for profit, contrary to Section 179C(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
According to the charge sheet, he allegedly received GHC15,000 from one Bemanin Adjapong through Andy Owusu on or around January 22, 2019, in Accra.
The OSP alleges that Bissue corruptly abused his position as IMCIM Secretary by accepting the money to circumvent established procedures outlined in the Committee’s 2018 “Road Map for Lifting of Ban on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining.” These procedures included the verification of documents, acquisition of relevant permits, demarcation and mapping of concessions, and vetting processes.
Through this action, Bissue is alleged to have unlawfully fast-tracked the renewal of mining permits for specific operators.
The 15-count charge sheet details multiple offences involving the abuse of office, corruption, and efforts to undermine lawful mining regulations at the peak of Ghana’s crackdown on illegal mining activities, popularly known as “galamsey.”
The case is expected to be a major test for the OSP’s renewed efforts to prosecute high-profile corruption cases, especially those tied to the controversial fight against illegal mining.