Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu has rejected criticisms against him by Corruption Watch Ghana and co suggesting that he “shot over the bar” with his stance on the Labianca case.
On August 8, 2022, the OSP published an investigative report which revealed that Labianca Group of Companies, a frozen foods company owned by a member of the Council of State, Eunice Jacqueline Buah Asomah-Hinneh, evaded import duties in excess of ¢1.074 million.
The OSP contended that Ms Asomah-Hinneh used her position as a member of the Council of State and member of the Board of Directors of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) to get a favourable decision from the Customs Division.
Reacting to the report, Mr Amidu said the Labianca report is hollow, without mandate and unconstitutional.
He was however condemned by the Chairman of the Constitutional, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs Committee of parliament, Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, Kofi Bentil of IMANI Africa and others for obstructing the work of the current Special Prosecutor.
The Citizen vigilante in a fresh epistle in reaction to the barrage of attacks against him following his comments on OSP’s Labianca report said: “I challenge Corruption Watch Ghana, its associated friends and lawyers to point to the offences indicated above the offences of “conflict of interest”, or “…influence peddling or trading of influence by Ms. Asomah-Hinneh by employing her position as a member of the Council of state and a member of the Board of Directors of Ghana Ports and Habours Authority…” or “….an institutional culture of ligthearted (sic) unconcern regarding impropriety of action at the Customs division of the Ghana Revenue Authority – which indicated a high propensity to engender corruption and corruption-related activities” as corruption and corruption-related offences.”
He said he wouldn’t budge in his anti-corruption crusade saying attempts made by certain persons to silence, intimidate, and bar him from defending the 1992 Constitution in the fight against corruption have failed.
“The more my person is attacked and intimidated, the more I shall use all available legal and constitutional means at my disposal to ensure that the Office of the Special Prosecutor does not become a rogue institution of CDD-Ghana’s Corruption Watch Ghana and their associates who are pushing it into illegal acts to enhance their entrepreneurial influence peddling or trading of influence at the expense of the security and laws of Ghana.”
