Renowned legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has called for caution and accountability in the handling of the ongoing Strategic Mobilization Ghana Limited (SML) scandal, stressing that arrests alone are not sufficient to constitute justice.
He criticised the previous government’s handling of the issue and urged the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to act with greater urgency and independence.
Kpebu noted that although the recent arrest linked to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA)-SML contract was a step forward, it should not be a cause for celebration until the matter is brought before the courts and prosecuted thoroughly.
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Speaking on TV3’s Key Points on Saturday, Mr. Kpebu stressed that the arrest is just preliminary until the case makes it to court and secures a conviction.
“We have not achieved anything meaningful yet. You can arrest someone and keep him in custody for 100 years, but without trial and conviction, it’s just noise,” he asserted.
He also slammed the Akufo-Addo administration, accusing it of shielding allies through politically convenient audits.
“When the SML story first broke under the previous administration, President Akufo-Addo, whom I’ve often called a ‘clearing agent’ – quickly turned to KPMG for an audit. Many civil society groups objected, saying KPMG had grown too close to the government due to frequent contracts. Even with that, we saw worrying findings,” Kpebu said.
Praising the Special Prosecutor for finally making progress on the case, Kpebu, however, lamented the slow pace of investigations. He called for decentralisation of the OSP’s internal processes to allow greater efficiency and transparency.
According to him, the OSP’s structure is too centralised, stressing that petitions should not sit on just one desk but should go before a board or committee for transparency and speed.
He contrasted the current Special Prosecutor with his predecessor, Martin Amidu, who he said demonstrated greater courage in naming top government officials attempting to interfere in investigations.
He said, “When Amidu had the opportunity, he named names. He was clear, even if he didn’t stay long enough to prosecute major cases. That’s the kind of boldness we expect. Unfortunately, the current OSP has been more reserved.
Martin Kpebu also referred to the National Petroleum Authority’s (NPA) promise to ensure the SML case reached court by the end of June, urging Ghanaians to hold institutions accountable.
“Today is June 28. The NPA said that by the end of the month, the case will be in court. Let’s wait till Monday and see. But if nothing happens, we must start asking serious questions,” he warned and urged civil society and the media not to let up in monitoring the OSP’s actions.