Legal practitioner Kwame Adofo has called for an independent investigation into the AKSA bribery controversy, arguing that neither the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) nor the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) may be sufficiently independent to handle the matter.

Adofo said the OSP and EOCO should not simultaneously investigate the same matter, arguing that established legal processes generally require one institution to complete its investigation before another takes over.

“You leave one institution to do their work, draw their conclusion and we take it from there,” he said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (18 August).

His comments come amid questions over which institution should lead investigations into allegations surrounding AKSA and whether the matter involves both corruption and possible money laundering.

Adofo said although the OSP and EOCO have different mandates, the ultimate prosecutorial authority rests with the Attorney General.

“At the end of the day, the AG will call the shots,” he said.

He questioned whether an investigation led by EOCO would provide sufficient independence if its findings implicated people close to the Attorney General.

“If EOCO investigates the matter and they start pointing towards the Attorney General’s close pals, what do you say is going to happen?” he asked.

Adofo also criticised the OSP’s handling of previous cases, saying the institution had failed to establish a record that justified entrusting it with another major investigation.

“I have completely written off the OSP’s office because it’s just a publicist office and nothing more,” he said.

He instead suggested considering an independent investigation, including a possible parliamentary inquiry, although he acknowledged concerns that Parliament itself could have members who might be connected to the controversy.

“We should find somebody else. Maybe a parliamentary inquiry somewhere, open parliamentary inquiry somehow,” he said.

Adofo said the controversy exposed wider weaknesses in Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture, particularly when several institutions exist to fight corruption but questions about institutional responsibility emerge only after a major scandal.

He argued that Ghana should focus on strengthening the institutions responsible for investigating corruption rather than repeatedly debating which agency should take up individual cases.

“Maybe we should commission multiple institutions to conduct power investigations,” he said.

He immediately rejected the idea of multiple agencies conducting the same investigation simultaneously, however, saying that would create duplication rather than improve accountability.

“Two institutions doing the same work is not something that ordinarily in law it is encouraged,” he said.

Adofo said Ghana was not beyond reform and urged citizens and the media to continue demanding accountability from public officials.

“Let’s not throw in the towel,” he said, calling for people to speak out when institutions or public officials fail to perform their duties.