In OSP-Charles Bissue ‘Galamsey’ Case
Andy Thomas Owusu, the aide to troubled Ashanti Regional chairman of the New Patriotic Party Bernard Antwi-Boaiako, has put in application for a plea bargain in the case involving the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and Charles Bissue.
Kissi Agyebeng’s Office is in court prosecuting the former secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee Against Illegal Mining, under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo government, Charles Bissue (First Accuse) and Andy Owusu (Second Accuse).
The two accuse persons are facing 15 counts of multiple offenses including abuse of office, corruption and attempt to undermine lawful mining regulations.
But in a sudden move, the prosecutors on Thursday May 29 told the Accra High Court that, the Second Accuse has approached them for a plea bargain.
The prosecution therefore prayed the trial judge, to give them more time for negotiation and documentations of the agreement.
The OSP’s action stems from an investigative expose by Tiger Eye PI led by Investigative journalist, Anas Aremaway Anas on the work of the Committee, set up by then President Akufo-Addo against illegal mining alias galamsey.
Owusu in the investigative piece allegedly bribed Bissue, who doubled at the time as a presidential staffer, to circumvent lay down mining laws for the renewal of the license of a mining firm.
While Owusu is requesting for the plea bargain, Bissue is doing no such and the case has been adjourned to June 4, by which time the Office would have completed the negotiation and documentation processes.
The two in the early period of the case pleaded not guilty and are on GHc 200, 000 bail with two sureties to justify. Bissue June 4
When the case was called today May 29, the agenda was to have a case management conference on how the case was going to proceed but the prosecution hinted the court the latest development.
Owusu has been in the news following the arrest of his boss, Antwi-Boasiako popularly known as Chairman Wontumi by the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) on Tuesday May 27.
Subsequent to his arrest, a former NPP Fomena constituency chairman, has accused Wontumi and Owusu of squandering party and state funds in the name of loan and contracts.
In a radio interview in Kumasi days ago, Kwasi Nti Asamoah, accused the two of snatching people’s wives their ill gotten money (dollars), charging the John Mahama government to deal with Wontumi and anyone who has offended the law.
“He and his aide, Andy when they had money it was people’s wives they were using dollars to snatch”, he angrily said Angel FM.