On 15 April, an Accra High Court ruled that the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Ghana’s anti-corruption body, could not initiate criminal proceedings without prior authorization from the Attorney-General. It ordered all ongoing OSP prosecutions transferred to the Attorney-General’s department and declared them null and void. The ruling arose from a case brought by a customs official the OSP had charged over the irregular sale of imported rice. Established in 2018 to insulate corruption cases from partisan influence, the OSP argued it was created to act independently, while the Attorney-General, a political appointee and cabinet member, maintained that prior authorization was required. Civil society groups, including the Ghana Center for Democratic Development, said they would file an amicus brief in a related Supreme Court case, warning the decision could weaken anti-corruption efforts and public trust. The Supreme Court was expected to rule on the OSP’s powers in mid-May.

Update: On 29 July, the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the OSP Act as constitutional, ruling that the OSP already holds standing prosecutorial authorization from the Attorney-General that remains in force unless formally revoked. It held the Attorney-General retains power to discontinue OSP prosecutions, but that this power is subject to constitutional fairness safeguards and accountable to the courts, Parliament and the public.

Sources: Citi Newsroom, The Africa Report, Africa Confidential, Ghanian News, Modern Ghana

On 1 October, Ghana’s Cyber Security Authority (CSA) opened a public consultation on the draft Cybersecurity (Amendment) Bill, 2025, which expands the Authority’s powers to investigate, prosecute and manage cybercrime. The bill would allow the CSA to arrest, search and seize property, prosecute cybercrime with the Attorney General’s approval, freeze assets and access private data under court orders. It also introduces new offences, including cyberbullying, cyberstalking and spreading false information, with penalties of up to 10 years. Critics, including the Ghana Journalists Association, IMANI Africa, and opposition politicians, argue that vague definitions and disproportionate penalties risk criminalising legitimate expression and could be used to target journalists and government critics. The government argues the bill strengthens national cyber defences and says the draft remains open for input from the public until 14 November. Cabinet and Attorney General review will follow before the bill is introduced in Parliament.

Sources: Cyber Security Authority of Ghana, Digital Policy Alert, GhanaFact, MyJoyOnline, The Africa Report, Civil Society Alliances for Digital Empowerment

On 22 April, President John Mahama suspended Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo following the submission of undisclosed petitions alleging misconduct. Torkornoo was initially denied access to the petitions — a step later rectified — raising concerns about due process. Acting on advice from the Council of State, Mahama determined that a prima facie case had been established and initiated a formal inquiry. The suspension of a sitting chief justice is the first of its kind under Ghana’s 1992 constitution. The opposition condemned the move as a ‘judicial coup’ and accused Mahama of attempting to reshape the judiciary in his party’s favour. A five-member committee has been formed to investigate the allegations. Torkornoo is Ghana's third female chief justice and was appointed in 2023 by former president Nana Akufo-Addo. The Ghana Bar Association described the move as ‘unconstitutional’ and has called for transparency and adherence to due process, warning that the episode could erode public trust in the judiciary.

Update: On 1 September, President John Mahama dismissed Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo following a president-appointed committee’s finding of ‘stated misbehaviour,’ including unlawful expenditure on private travel and interference in appointments. Torkornoo, who denies wrongdoing, is challenging her dismissal in domestic and regional courts, including taking her case to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in July 2025.

Sources: Ghana Bar Association, Graphic Online, The Africa Report, Barron’s, British Broadcasting Corporation, Africa Confidential

On 7 December, former President John Dramani Mahama won Ghana’s presidential election with 56.4 per cent of the vote, defeating Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia, who secured 41.8 per cent. Voter turnout stood at 64.0 per cent, down from 79.0 per cent in 2020. The election also resulted in a strong parliamentary win for Mahama’s National Democratic Congress (NDC), which secured 186 of the 276 seats (67.4 per cent), giving it a two-thirds majority. The country will now have its first woman Vice-President, Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang. According to Ghana’s Electoral Commission, 12.8 per cent of parliamentary candidates in 2024 were women. Election results were initially delayed as political parties incited their supporters to gather in large numbers at collation centres. While Bawumia conceded on 8 December, reports of vandalism, looting, and property destruction led security forces to disperse crowds with tear gas and pepper spray. Observers from the African Union and the Commonwealth of Nations lauded the Electoral Commission for conducting a transparent and credible election.

Sources: Electoral Commission Ghana, African Union, Commonwealth Observer Group, The Africa Report, Africa Confidential, British Broadcasting Corporation, Ghana Broadcasting Corporation