The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed 15 charges against former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue, and businessman, Andy Thomas Owusu, accusing them of corruption and abuse of office linked to illegal mining activities.
The charges, lodged at the High Court, centre on allegations that the two conspired to bypass official mining procedures for personal gain during Ghana's fight against illegal small-scale mining, commonly known as "galamsey." According to the OSP, Bissue, while serving as Secretary of the IMCIM, accepted GHC15,000 from one Bemanin Adjapong through Andy Owusu around January 22, 2019, in Accra.
Prosecutors say the payment was a bribe to sidestep the strict verification, permitting, and vetting processes outlined in the Committee's 2018 "Road Map for Lifting of Ban on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining." The Special Prosecutor alleges that Bissue's actions unlawfully expedited the renewal of mining licenses for operators who otherwise would have had to meet rigorous regulatory requirements.
The 15 counts span various offences, including using public office for profit and corruptly facilitating illegal mining operations, in clear violation of Section 179C(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
