The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has pushed back against accusations by private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu that the institution is “investigating itself”, describing the claim as a deliberate falsehood intended to mislead the public and undermine ongoing inquiries.
In a detailed account issued by its Director of Strategy, Research and Communication, Sammy Darko, the OSP insisted that the processes currently underway follow standard institutional practice and are not the self-serving manoeuvres Mr Kpebu has suggested.
The response came a day after officers arrested the lawyer for alleged obstruction during a confrontation at the entrance of the OSP headquarters.
Mr Darko said Mr Kpebu’s suggestion that the case was being handled by junior staff was inaccurate and intended to cast doubt on the work of the investigators.
“Mr Kpebu repeatedly misleads the public by claiming that those handling the case are junior officers. In reality, their ranks are equivalent to Deputy Commissioners of Police,” he wrote on Facebook.
He added that internal fact-finding structures existed across public institutions and had never constituted self-investigation. “Police misconduct is not investigated by fire service officers, and GRA misconduct is not investigated by immigration officers. The principle is the same.”
The OSP’s account of Wednesday’s events paints a picture of escalating tension beginning at the facility’s gate. Mr Kpebu had stopped outside the premises to speak to journalists, a routine the OSP said he often performs. After security personnel reminded him of restrictions on photography and videography around the premises, the statement said he became agitated. “He reacted angrily to the reminder and insulted the guards… He insisted he could act as he pleased and threatened to report them,” Mr Darko noted.
According to the OSP, the lawyer went as far as describing the guards as “nobodies” and suggested that even their superior officers “would soon be removed.” These actions, the office said, amounted to obstruction and led to his arrest. The OSP maintained that the arrest was carried out lawfully and “without force”, adding that internal records show no evidence of assault or improper handling.
Mr Kpebu was granted bail later that evening. However, the OSP said even that stage of the process was disrupted when one of his lawyers “insulted officers and caused a scene”, though she was removed gently and without force.
The OSP rejected claims circulating in sections of the media that it had fallen into a trap by arresting the lawyer. “The Office has not fallen for any trap. It has simply applied the law to protect its personnel and maintain order on its premises,” the statement said. It argued that the incident reflected a troubling pattern of behaviour in which Mr Kpebu refuses to cooperate, questions the legitimacy of investigators, and creates conditions that delay progress. “He refuses to cooperate, demands that certain officers be removed, gets his wish, and then introduces a new obstacle,” Mr Darko wrote.
The office emphasised that the alleged obstruction is a separate matter from the corruption allegations Mr Kpebu has publicly made against the Special Prosecutor. It repeated that he will be required to report at 11 a.m. today to continue with the obstruction case, with another date to be arranged for the substantive inquiry into his claims.
The OSP insisted that its actions throughout the episode were lawful and professional, describing suggestions of political interference as unfounded. “Connections, public influence, or media prominence do not place anyone above the law,” the statement concluded.
