Istanbul: The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has had its High Court application for a stay of execution on an earlier ruling limiting its independent prosecutorial powers, adjourned to June 8, 2026.
According to Ghana Web, the adjournment occurred today after the respondent failed to appear in court. Presiding Justice John Eugene Nyante Nyadu informed OSP state attorneys that the court had received correspondence from the respondent's side citing inability to attend and proposing alternative dates of May 28, 29, or June 8. The court, however, selected June 8 for the hearing.
In mid-April 2026, the High Court ruled that, under Ghana's 1992 Constitution and the OSP Act (Act 959), the Office of the Special Prosecutor requires authorisation from the Attorney General to initiate and conduct prosecutions in corruption cases. The court directed the Attorney General to assume responsibility for ongoing OSP prosecutions.
The OSP maintains that Act 959 grants it independent prosecutorial authority and has filed both a notice of appeal and an application for stay of execution to preserve the status quo while the appeal process unfolds. Meanwhile, the ruling has already affected several major corruption prosecutions.
In the high-profile case The Republic v Adjenim Boateng Adjei, involving the former Public Procurement Authority CEO, proceedings were paused and adjourned to June 17, 2026, pending the outcome of the OSP's stay application. Other cases, including those linked to the SML contract and a National Petroleum Authority matter involving Mustapha Hamid, have faced similar adjournments.