The arrest of Lawyer Martin Kpebu last week by the Office of The Special Prosecutor (OSP) and his near immediate release ‘upon orders from above’ was a surreal political drama which brought wry smiles to the faces of many Ghanaians with political predilection. Of course it was one of the many abuse of office of the now generally hated OSP.
Until the current Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng was handed over the mantle of leadership of the place, Ghanaians did not hear much about its operations safe the long treatise the maiden Special Prosecutor wrote in the media.
Enter the new head and the now normal media trial of suspects takes centre stage.
Many Ghanaians want to know whether orders were issued to have the loudmouth lawyer released at once. Indeed information has it that he spent less than three hours in the custody of the OSP. Man pass man is a Ghanaian street parlance. Given the time of night only persons politically connected can be released from the dungeon of the OSP when they are thrown in there.
All Ghanaians are equal before the law, but some are not as captured by George Orwell in his classic literature. Some animals are more equal…it depends on the number of legs they possess.
We have heard about MP Lawyer Sosu’s determination to rally his NDC colleagues to deal with Lawyer Kissi Agyebeng because as he put it ‘touch one touch all.’
It would be interesting to see how this whole drama plays out on the political terrain. An obstacle has stuck in the throat of Kissi Agyebeng. Can he regurgitate it which is the best to do under the difficult circumstances?
We did not hear anything about the usual outlandish bail conditions for the release of Lawyer Kpebu so we can conclude that the SP was simply ordered to let go whatever he planned doing to embarrass Lawyer Kpebu.
He was said to have obstructed an arrest but perhaps having incensed the man suffering from an infirmed emotional intelligence for whatever reason Kissi Agyebeng just wanted to flex his muscle small as he has always done.
We wonder why he would want to do such a thing at a time when petitions for his removal are piling up. Some have already been passed on to the Chief Justice by the President. The OSP has never come under such intense pressure…many finding it unproductive and in the face of the seeming abuse of office by the head the abolition of the whole office is now being discussed in political street corners.
We have learnt about how the office is being operated like a military outpost the sentries at the entrance putting up disturbing postures to both visitors and suspects dragged to the place.
It is time to weigh the options and to take a final decision as to whether or not the OSP should exist at all.
