The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has withdrawn all six charges of corruption and bribery against Owusu Andy Thomas, effectively clearing him of those allegations.
Andy Thomas was facing trial alongside Charles Bissue, former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining, over a total of 15 counts related to corruption and bribery.
The charges originated from a 2019 investigative exposé by undercover journalist Anas Aremeyaw Anas, which implicated several officials in alleged misconduct connected to illegal mining operations.
At the time of his discharge, Owusu was facing nine charges, including six directly tied to bribery and corruption.
However, the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra on Wednesday discharged him from all six corruption-related charges after a plea bargain agreement was reached and accepted by the OSP.
As part of the negotiated settlement, the Court ordered Owusu Thomas to pay GH¢200,000 as restitution and reparation to the Republic. This payment settles the remaining three charges, in accordance with Section 71(4) of the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959).
The resolution of the case against Owusu marks a significant development in the broader legal proceedings that followed the anti-galamsey exposé, which triggered public debate and calls for accountability within Ghana’s fight against illegal mining.
The case involving his co-accused, Charles Bissue, remains pending.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
