Former Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, has narrated his experience with the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) following an invitation extended to him.
Professor Frimpong-Boateng was invited by the OSP in a letter dated May 3, 2023, to “answer questions into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences in respect of the activities and expenditure of the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining,” which he chaired.
He honored the invitation on May 16, 2023, but this development came to light on June 7.
The former Chairman of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining accused government officials in a 37-page document of engaging in illegal mining or interfering in his work.
According to him, he was asked some questions relating to his work on the IMCIM after which he was surprisingly told he was under arrest.
“The background is that I received a letter from the OSP on May 13 or 14 to appear before them. I was to report on May 16 at 10:00 a.m. I did. They later said they were investigating corruption and corruption-related activities of the IMCM, which disturbed me a bit. I thought they were going to stop illegal mining, but anyway, I went there and was ushered into a room. My lawyers were next to me, and the Principal Investigator and some officers from that office were opposite me.
“The Chief Prosecutor put his left hand on my shoulder and said, ‘You are under arrest.’ I asked, ‘Why am I under arrest? What are my charges?’ ‘Well, there are no specific charges. We are investigating corruption and corruption-related activities on the committee you chaired,’” he said in an interview with Joy News.
Source: citinewsroom.com
