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Mr. Charles Bissue, the former secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), and a man named Andy Thomas Owusu have been brought before the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for suspected corruption relating to galamsey.
The two have been charged with 15 counts of corruption-related offenses by the OSP.
They are accused of misusing public office for personal gain in connection with illicit mining operations in the allegations, which were filed at the High Court.
Mr. Bissue is charged in the first count with violating Section 179C (a) of the Criminal Offenses Act, 1960 (Act 29) by allegedly using his public office for financial gain.
The charge sheet claims that on or around January 22, 2019, in Accra, he received GHC15,000 from a person named Bemanin Adjapong via Andy Owusu.
The OSP claims that by taking the money to get around the established processes listed in the Committee’s 2018 “Road Map for Lifting of Ban on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining,” Bissue dishonestly misused his position as IMCIM Secretary. Document verification, obtaining pertinent permits, concession demarcation and mapping, and vetting procedures were all part of these procedures.
It is claimed that Bissue illegally expedited the renewal of mining permits for certain operators by taking this step.
The 15-count charge sheet lists several offenses related to corruption, misuse of office, and attempts to subvert established mining laws during Ghana’s campaign against “galamsey,” or illicit mining.
The case is anticipated to be a significant litmus test for the OSP’s recently redoubled attempts to bring high-profile corruption cases to justice, especially those involving the contentious battle against illegal mining.
Source: Ghanatodayonline.com
