Today it’s Addison, tomorrow it could be you or me – Kpebu on why National Security operatives must work with rules

Private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu has raised concerns over the execution of a search warrant at the residence of former Bank of Ghana Governor, Dr. Ernest Addison, criticizing national security operatives for failing to follow due process.

Kpebu argued that Addison was not given a copy of the search warrant before the operation, describing the move as a violation of basic legal procedures.

“The law is clear. When you conduct a search, you must provide a copy of the warrant to the subject. That’s basic,” Kpebu emphasized.

Citing Article 23 of the Constitution, he stressed the need for fairness and transparency in administrative actions, warning that the absence of clear guidelines could lead to abuse of power.

“This is why we always talk about fairness in administrative actions. If we allow state institutions to act arbitrarily, today it’s Addison, tomorrow it could be you or me,” he cautioned.

Kpebu also noted that, unlike the police, national security lacks defined standard operating procedures (SOPs) for conducting searches, which creates room for misconduct.

“The way national security operates leaves a lot of room for abuse. Unlike the police, which has clear service instructions, national security doesn’t have detailed guidelines for how to conduct searches,” he said.

While calling for urgent reforms in national security search procedures, Kpebu insisted that Addison must still be held accountable for his role in the government’s money printing activities.

“Nobody is above the law. If Dr. Addison has questions to answer regarding money printing, then he should be held accountable. But that does not mean we should ignore due process,” he stressed.

He urged authorities to establish clear rules for future security operations to protect citizens' rights and uphold the rule of law.