The High Court of Ghana has fined the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) GH₵15,000 and declared all its ongoing criminal prosecutions null and void, in a ruling that has effectively halted multiple high-profile corruption cases.
The decision, delivered on Wednesday, April 15 in Accra, also ordered the immediate transfer of all OSP cases to the Attorney-General’s Department, pending formal approval from the Attorney-General.
Presiding judge John Nyante Nyadu cited procedural concerns raised during the proceedings, reinforcing the court’s position that the prosecutions as initiated by the OSP could not stand in their current form.
The ruling represents a significant setback for the OSP, which has led several anti-corruption prosecutions in recent years. With the cases now voided, ongoing trials across the country have been brought to an abrupt halt.
Legal observers say the judgment could have far-reaching implications for the prosecutorial authority of the OSP and may trigger broader debate about its mandate within Ghana’s justice system.
The Attorney-General’s Department is now expected to determine the next steps regarding the affected cases once it formally assumes control.
