Charles Bissue
Source: Africa Publicity
An Accra High Court has granted a Ghc 200,000 bail each to Charles Bissue, a member of Ghana’s main opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), and one Andy Owusu, in a corruption trial. The bail is with two sureties, one of whom is to be justified.
Both Bissue and Owusu have been charged 15 counts of corruption-related offences in the gold mining sector.
They pleaded not guilty to the charges and they have been asked to deposit their passports with the registry of the High Court.
The two accused persons are further required to report to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) once every month as part of their bail conditions.
About the case
As earlier reported, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) of Ghana took Charles Bissue, a senior member of Ghana’s opposition party, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to court over corruption-related offences in the country’s mining sector.
Mr. Bissue, the 2024 Parliamentary Candidate of the NPP for the Essikado-Ketan Constituency who served as Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) during ex-President Nana Akufo-Addo’s regime, together with one Andy Thomas Owusu were dragged to court by the OSP and charged with 15 counts of corruption-related offences.
The charges, filed at the High Court in Accra, accuse Mr. Bissue Thomas Owusu of abusing public office for personal gain in connection with illegal gold mining operations popularly known as “galamsey” in Ghana.
In the first count, Mr. Bissue, a former Presidential staffer is accused of using his public office for profit, contrary to Section 179C(a) of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29).
The charge sheet indicates that Mr. Bissue allegedly received Ghc 15,000 from one Bemanin Adjapong through Andy Owusu on or around January 22, 2019, in Accra.
Further, Mr. Bissue is alleged to have corruptly abused his position as IMCIM Secretary by accepting the money to circumvent established procedures outlined in the Committee’s 2018 “Road Map for Lifting of Ban on Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining.”
These procedures included the verification of documents, acquisition of relevant permits, demarcation and mapping of concessions, and vetting processes, according to the OSP.
Furthermore, Mr. Bissue is alleged to have unlawfully fast-tracked the renewal of mining permits for specific operators.
The 15-count charge sheet details multiple offences involving the abuse of office, corruption, and efforts to undermine lawful mining regulations at the peak of Ghana’s crackdown on illegal mining activities, popularly known as “galamsey.”
The case is expected to be a major test for the OSP’s renewed efforts to prosecute high-profile corruption cases, especially those tied to the controversial fight against illegal mining.
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