“I welcome the OSP’s decision” – Charles Bissue breaks silence on OSP’s 15 criminal charges against him

Charles Bissue, the former Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), has responded to criminal charges against him. The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed fifteen charges. Bissue welcomed this decision after five years of deliberation.

He stated that for fairness, the OSP should submit a complete version of a referenced video documentary to the court. He believes Ghanaians deserve access to the truth without distortion.

In a press release, Bissue asserted he acted in compliance with legal and ethical obligations. He called any misconduct claims baseless and vowed to challenge them through due process.

Bissue expressed his commitment to cooperating with proceedings. He trusts that the courts will handle this matter impartially.

He hopes all parties can present evidence fairly. He emphasized that truth and justice must prevail and urged respect for the legal process.

The OSP charged Bissue and Andy Thomas Owusu with corruption and abuse of public office. This involves a mining licensing scandal worth GHC35,000.

The charges allege that between January and February 2019, Bissue accepted bribes totaling GHC35,000 from Benjamin Adjapong. This was done to expedite an expired mining license renewal for ORR Resources Enterprise without proper documentation.

Bissue faces nine counts, including using public office for profit. He allegedly received GHC15,000 on January 22, GHC10,000 on January 30, and another GHC10,000 on February 8 to bypass IMCIM vetting processes.

He is also charged with corruption by a public officer for accepting bribes related to his official duties. The IMCIM was established in 2017 but dissolved in 2021 due to corruption scandals involving Bissue.

In November 2024, the Human Rights Court dismissed Bissue's attempts to prevent OSP actions against him. Previously, he obtained a temporary injunction against his arrest but claimed it was unlawfully issued.