Charles Bissue, Andy Owusu plead not guilty, granted GH₵400,000 bail

Former presidential staffer Charles Bissue and one other, currently standing trial for corruption-related offences, have pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against them by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

The Criminal Division of the High Court admitted the two accused persons to bail in the sum of GH₵200,000 each, with two sureties, one of whom must be justified.

As part of the bail conditions, the passports of both accused are to be deposited with the Registry of the Court.
They have also been ordered to report to the Office of the Special Prosecutor once every month.

Charges

According to the charge sheet filed at the Accra High Court, the OSP alleges that Bissue used his position as Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) for private gain by receiving a bribe of GH₵35,000 from one Benjamin Adjapong. The payment was allegedly in return for assisting with the renewal of an expired mining licence for a supposed company known as ORR Resources Limited.

The OSP claims the renewal was carried out by “circumventing established requirements of the IMCIM in respect of verification of documents, acquisition of relevant permits, demarcation and mapping of concessions and vetting, and thereby unlawfully securing a fast-track renewal of an expired mining licence”.

The criminal case stems from an exposé on corruption in the fight against illegal mining by investigative journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas and his investigative outfit, Tiger Eye P.I.

The second accused, Andy Thomas Owusu—also a former presidential staffer—is accused of facilitating the payment of the alleged bribe money to Bissue.

Owusu faces various counts, including corruption of a public officer and accepting a bribe to influence a public officer. He is accused of pocketing GH₵15,000 from the alleged bribery scheme.

Facts of the case

According to the OSP, the IMCIM was established by then President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in March 2017 to tackle the menace of illegal mining.

Among other responsibilities, the IMCIM was tasked with coordinating the activities of the fight against illegal mining. As part of this initiative, all artisanal and small-scale mining operations were suspended for six months in April 2017—a ban that was later extended for an additional nine months.

To resume operations, the facts explained, small-scale mining companies were required to undergo a vetting and verification process in accordance with procedures established by the IMCIM.

The OSP contends that Bissue oversaw the said verification and vetting process, which he allegedly exploited for personal gain.

“The evidence would establish that the First Accused, with the collaboration and facilitation of the Second Accused, received for personal profit and benefit a sum of Thirty-Five Thousand cedis (GH₵35,000) from one Benjamin Adjapong,” the OSP stated.

“The evidence would further establish that the Second Accused received the sum of Fifteen Thousand cedis (GH₵15,000) from one Benjamin Adjapong for the purpose of unduly influencing the First Accused, in respect of the discharge of his duties as the Secretary of the IMCIM, to circumvent established requirements of the IMCIM under its Road Map for the Lifting of the Ban on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining (The Way Forward), 2018,” the OSP added.

The anti-graft body further noted that Benjamin Adjapong posed as an officer of ORR Resources Enterprise, which was seeking to renew its mining licence as part of an undercover operation by Tiger Eye P.I. into corruption within the IMCIM.

According to the OSP, Owusu initially demanded GH₵100,000 from Adjapong, claiming he could influence Bissue and assist in the verification and renewal process.

“The fee was negotiated down to Forty Thousand cedis (GH₵40,000) apiece. The First Accused received a total of Thirty-Five Thousand cedis (GH₵35,000.00), while the Second Accused took a total of Fifteen Thousand cedis (GH₵15,000),” the OSP stated.

“As a result of the money paid by Benjamin Adjapong to the First and Second Accused under the criminal enterprise, the First Accused unlawfully secured for and issued ORR Resources Enterprise with a sticker and necessary permits signifying that ORR Resources Enterprise had complied with all lawful requirements to commence mining activities,” the OSP concluded.