Lower expectation of Special Prosecutor – Vitus Azeem cautions

Vitus Azeem, an anti corruption campaigner, has cautioned the citizenry to lower their expectation of the Special Prosecutor Martin Amidu to deliver his mandate this year because it is an election year.

According to him, “looking at how politicised issues are in the country, if Mr Amidu should go after any corrupt political figure either in the ruling party or opposition party such a move will be misconstrued as he is politicising issues.

“Several Ghanaians have expressed their dissatisfaction over the slow pace of work by the Office of the Special Prosecutor as expectations of him have not materialised, for instance, former President Jerry John Rawlings has expressed concern about the delay in the prosecution of corruption-related cases by the Office of the Special Prosecutor,” Mr Azeem, a former head of Ghana Integrity Initiative lamented.

But Mr Amidu has assured the public that the office would soon start prosecuting corruption-related cases and he could only successfully execute his mandate with tact and not with emotions and reckless speed.

But commenting on the issue, Mr Azeem, maintained that though Mr Amidu did fantastically as a private lawyer prosecuting corrupt cases, he’ll be unable to do much this year because it is an election year and issues have been politicised and cannot deliver on his mandate.

“Mr Amidu himself said if he’s not able to do much before the end of 2019 it will be difficult for him to do anything because if he goes after the ruling party or the opposition party they will say it is politics,  it is difficult to expect him to do much for the rest of this year and the Office of the Special Prosecutor can’t do much this year being an election year,” Mr Azeem decried. -kasapafmonline.com