Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has been detained by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) for allegedly obstructing investigators looking into corruption allegations against Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng.
Lawyers representing Kpebu said he was detained after attending an invitation to meet investigators.
Earlier, Kpebu had stated he would not cooperate unless the investigative committee was independently constituted.
Kpebu accused the OSP of repeatedly mishandling the process, noting that his two previous visits were “botched” because he was made to appear before officers who report directly to Agyebeng.
“I am hoping that they would get it right this time,” he said. “They kept making me appear before subordinates. Subordinates can’t investigate their boss. It’s incompetence.”
He added that he is fully prepared to cooperate, but only if the committee is properly set up. According to him, the OSP’s approach so far raises questions about fairness and the ability of investigators to handle the case professionally.
Martin Kpebu argued that allowing junior officers to investigate the Special Prosecutor undermines the integrity of the process.
Marcellinus Biah, one of Kpebu’s lawyers, said, “They whisked him away. As we speak now, we are unable to tell where Mr Kpebu is.”
In an interview on TV3, Biah further explained: “…this afternoon at about two o’clock, we attended the invitation of the Office of the Special Prosecutor to assist them in investigations. So, while we were at the premises, Martin granted an interview outside the premises of the Office of the Special Prosecutor and returned.
“So, it appears that one of the officers, that is, the police officer at the gate, was not too happy with Martin granting an interview outside the premises of the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Martin actually told him that, no, there was nothing wrong with him granting an interview and subsequently attending to the inquiry.
“And so there was some amount of altercation between, verbal exchange between him and the officer. Thereafter, Martin proceeded to attend to the inquiry committee. So while we were, I mean, having discussions with the inquiry committee, in the course of that, they told Martin that he had actually obstructed an officer of the Special Prosecutor, and for that matter, he was going to be charged.”
He added, “Meanwhile, let me be quick to add that when the altercation took place, Martin was first to even request to make a complaint against the third officer. But we’re told that the complaint centre was not available to take our complaints. So, Martin proceeded to the inquiry board committee and presented a complaint before them.”
