The Deputy Attorney-General, Dr Justice Srem-Sai, has said the Attorney-General’s Department will hold off on taking over prosecutions initiated by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) until the Supreme Court delivers a definitive ruling on the matter.

His comments follow a recent High Court decision directing the Attorney-General to assume control of all ongoing criminal cases being handled by the OSP, pending formal authorisation. The ruling stems from a judicial review application that challenged the prosecutorial powers of the anti-corruption agency.

The OSP has rejected the court’s decision, insisting that it overstepped its jurisdiction. The office has since initiated legal processes to overturn the ruling, maintaining that its enabling legislation grants it the authority to prosecute corruption-related offences.

The case before the court was filed by Peter Archibold Hyde, one of four suspects under investigation by the OSP, alongside Alhaji Seidu, James Keck Osei and Customs officer John Abban.

The individuals are alleged to have conspired to unlawfully take possession of containers using forged documentation, including a fake letter purportedly issued by the Office of the then Vice President.

Delivering his position in an interview on Channel One TV on Monday, April 20, Dr Srem-Sai stated that it would be premature for the Attorney-General’s Department to act before the apex court settles the legal questions surrounding the OSP’s prosecutorial mandate.

“Our position is that we will wait for the Supreme Court decision before taking over OSP’s cases. It will be a rush to start doing something now,” he said.

He noted that the department would be guided by the Supreme Court’s interpretation, emphasising that any immediate move to take over the cases could be hasty given the ongoing legal uncertainty.