Ghana - April 2026

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