What began as a routine visit to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) will be remembered as one of the most talked‑about legal dramas in Accra, complete with sharp words, bruised egos, and a dash of political theatre.
The Backstory
Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has been a thorn in the side of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng for months. From radio studios to TV panels, Kpebu has accused the OSP of being slow, ineffective, and in his words, “not living up to the hype.” The OSP, for its part, insists these criticisms are less about accountability and more about a deliberate campaign to dent its reputation.
The Flashpoint
On December 3, Kpebu was invited to the OSP premises after fresh allegations against Mr Agyebeng. But instead of a calm sit‑down, the encounter quickly resembled a courtroom drama without the judge. Security officers say Kpebu ignored rules against filming, hurled insults, and dismissed the Special Prosecutor as “a nobody who will be removed soon.”
The OSP insists this was the last straw. Kpebu was promptly arrested not for his corruption claims, they say, but for misconduct.
Samuel Appiah Darko, Director of Strategy at the OSP, described Kpebu’s behaviour as part of a “consistent pattern of disrespect.” Kpebu, never one to mince words, fired back that the arrest was a “suicide mission” by the OSP, designed to silence critics.
In short: one side says, “lawful arrest,” the other says, “vigilante mentality.”
Public Reaction
The incident has divided opinion. Supporters of the OSP argue that no citizen should be allowed to insult public officers with impunity. Critics warn that the arrest risks chilling free speech and undermining Ghana’s anti‑corruption drive.
Private legal practitioner Kwame Owiredu has described the conduct of Lawyer Martin Kpebu as unethical, urging him to apologize to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP). In an interview with Bullet TV, Owiredu defended Kpebu’s arrest at the OSP premises. Meanwhile, Kow Esuman, counsel to former President, argued that even if petitions against the OSP lack merit, the circumstances surrounding Kpebu’s detention could establish a prima facie case for the removal of Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
The most significant intervention so far has come from former Speaker of Parliament, Prof. Mike Ocquaye, who criticized the OSP’s decision to arrest Kpebu. Ocquaye further suggested that the state should strengthen existing institutions such as the Attorney General’s office, adding that the OSP itself ought to be dissolved.
