At a time when members of the Majority Caucus have called for the abolition of the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), a delegation from the Southern African kingdom of Eswatini visited Ghana to study the Office’s modus operandi, highlighting its significance, both nationally and as a model for anti-corruption institutions across the region.
The study tour, led by Jabu Phakathi, Commissioner of the Eswatini Anti-Corruption Commission, included the Commission’s legal adviser and a legislative drafter from the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs. The delegation also comprised officials from Eswatini’s Ministry of Justice.
During their visit, the team met with Deputy Special Prosecutor Cynthia Lamptey and senior directors of the OSP, including Dr Isidore Tuffour (Prosecutions), Samuel Appiah-Darko (Strategy, Research & Communications), Albert Akurugu (Asset Recovery & Management) and Boakyewaa Glover (Human Resources).
In a visit that was published on the official website of the OSP, OSP officials briefed the visitors on the Office’s mandate, legal authority, operational procedures, inter-agency collaboration, international cooperation and stakeholder engagement.
They also outlined staffing structures, resource allocations and accountability mechanisms that ensure transparency and independence in the fight against corruption.
The visiting officials showed particular interest in Ghana’s legal framework, especially the independence of the Special Prosecutor, the appointment process, security of tenure and the Office’s ability to prosecute cases independent of the Attorney-General’s Department of Ghana. They contrasted this with Eswatini, where the Anti-Corruption Commission’s Commissioner and Deputy Commissioner are appointed by the King and serve five-year terms, highlighting the differences in institutional autonomy.
Discussions also explored ways to strengthen Eswatini’s anti-corruption framework, including granting investigative powers to its Commission.
The delegation reviewed ongoing constitutional proposals in Ghana that aim to entrench the OSP in the constitution, a move intended to clarify powers under Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution of Ghana and improve the handling of unexplained wealth cases.
Eswatini is a small, landlocked country in Southern Africa, bordered by South Africa to the north, west and south, and Mozambique to the east.
Formerly known as Swaziland, it is one of the few remaining absolute monarchies in the world, ruled by King Mswati III.
Officials on both sides expressed optimism that the exchange would deepen institutional cooperation and contribute to strengthening anti-corruption efforts across the two jurisdictions, highlighting the OSP’s growing influence as a benchmark for independent anti-graft bodies in Africa.
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