Kenneth Kwabena Agyei Kuranchie, Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Searchlight newspaper, has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to remove Kissi Agyebeng from his role as Special Prosecutor.
Mr. Kuranchie’s request is based on alleged misconduct by Mr. Agyebeng, including accusations of willfully violating his official oath and oath of secrecy. He claims that Agyebeng’s actions could harm the economy and security of the state.
In a letter to the president dated October 18, 2024, Kuranchie invoked Section 15(1) of the Special Prosecutor Act (Act 959) of 2017, which outlines the grounds for the removal of the Special Prosecutor.
This section states that the Special Prosecutor can only be removed for reasons such as misbehavior, incapacity, willful violation of the official oath, or conduct that could bring the office into disrepute.
Kuranchie alleges that Agyebeng conducted security checks on about 80% of the staff at the Office of the Special Prosecutor using the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), a foreign agency. He argues that this action breaches Ghanaian laws and represents “stated misbehavior,” as it is contrary to local regulations.
He further asserts that these actions violate the Official Oath and the Data Protection Act, rendering Agyebeng unfit for his role as Special Prosecutor, and calls for his removal.
President Akufo-Addo has referred the petition to the Chief Justice to assess whether there is a prima facie case for action.
In a related development, the Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit filed by Kuranchie earlier this year, which challenged the constitutionality of the Office of the Special Prosecutor.
He had sought a ruling that the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 957) violated several provisions of the 1992 Constitution. Kuranchie previously filed a similar case against the Office last year but later discontinued it before filing the current petition.
