We’ll set aside ‘illegally procured’ arrest warrant -Charles Bissue’s Lawyer

Counsel for Secretary to defunt Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining Charles Bissue, Nana Baffour Awuah has revealed his unwavering decision to set aside a purported arrest warrant against his client insisting that the court order was “illegally procured”.

Nana Baffour Awuah insists that his side will explore legal options available to set aside the arrest warrant because there is a case pending before the Human Rights Court filed by Charles Bissue against the Special Prosecutor on alleged violation of his client. According to him, the Special Prosecutor was granted the arrest warrant because he failed to disclose to the judge the matter pending before the Human Rights Court upon application, adding that his client will not turn in at Office of Special Prosecutor.

OSP secures court order to arrest Charles Bissue

Office of the Special Prosecutor has secured an order from the court to arrest former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM). This order was secured after Bissue failed to honour an invitation by the Special Prosecutor last month.

The OSP, on May 3, wrote to Mr. Bissue informing him he was a necessary person for the investigation into the activities of the IMCIM.

He was asked to appear at the offices of the investigative body on May 22.

Lawyers for Mr. Bissue then wrote to the OSP requesting a copy of the petition forming the basis of this invitation and asking that the said meeting be rescheduled to May 25 due to “a domestic emergency”.

Lawyers for Mr. Bissue say the OSP refused to accept the proposed date of 25th May 2023 and insisted on the May 22 date.

This meeting did not happen causing the OSP to proceed to court to secure an arrest warrant.

Mr. Bissue has filed a fresh suit at the court asking that it sets aside the warrant of arrest issued against him as well as rule that the investigative body is violating his human rights. This is the third time Mr. Bissue is suing the OSP.

The previous two suits relate to the OSP’s investigations arising from an investigative documentary titled ‘Galamsey Fraud Part I’ published by Tiger Eye P.I. and the journalist, Anas Aremeyaw Anas.

Mr Bissue had in this instance also demanded a copy of the petition giving rise to the probe. He had further alleged that this petition was authored by the Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng when he served as a lawyer in private practice before assuming office.

He wants the court to restrain the OSP from investigating him adding that the subject of his probe has already been concluded by the Police Service’s CID. These cases are yet to be determined.

This comes barely 24 hours after details emerged that the former Environment Minister was on a GHs2 million bail after a visit to the OSP to assist in investigations into ‘galamsey’ activities during his time at the helm of the IMCIM taskforce.

Background

In December 2022, the former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) wants the court to prevent the Office of the Special Prosecutor from investigating him.

Charles Bissue filed for an injunction at an Accra High Court seeking to do so.

On October 10, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng started investigating some public officials over their alleged involvement in illegal mining (galamsey).

The investigation targeted some officials of the Lands Ministry, the Forestry Commission, and the dissolved Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM).

The OSP said the inquiry will also span allegations of use of public office for profit against Charles Bissue during his tenure as secretary to the IMCIM.

This is based on an investigative documentary by Anas Aremeyaw Anas and the Tiger Eye P.I.

However, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) member is seeking to end it.