Deputy National Communications Director of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal Deen Abdulai, has questioned the basis on which the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) arrested and detained private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu on Wednesday, December 3, 2025.
According to him, the arrest constituted as abuse or weaponization of state institutions.
Speaking on Joy News on December 4, and monitored by NewsDesksGH, Mr. Abdulai referenced the relevant legal framework.
He said that while Ghana’s criminal laws clearly outline the grounds for arrest, the Constitution also guarantees the presumption of innocence.
He noted that Act 29 of the Criminal and Other Offences Act stipulates the offences that warrant arrest, adding, “Even that, there’s still presumption of innocence under article 19 of the constitution.”
He recounted the recent disagreement between Martin Kpebu and the OSP, stating that the lawyer had consistently argued that the Special Prosecutor must work within the limits of the law.
“Kpebu says that in his view, the OSP per his mandate was supposed to act in conjunction with state officials monitored by the law,” he noted.
Mr. Abdulai added that Martin Kpebu’s longstanding position has been that the OSP failed to act proactively in some high-profile cases. He said the lawyer believes that if the OSP had acted proactively the former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta would not have fled.
“Therefore my view is that you have as it were, reneged on your duties to a large extent,” he said.
Mr. Abdulai questioned the grounds on which the OSP had invited the lawyer for investigations.
“Then the same body says ‘come and I’ll investigate you’. Under what grounds is he investigating Martin Kpebu?” he asked.
He stressed that the mandate of the OSP is to focus on corruption and corruption-related offences.
“The last time I checked, I’ve not heard that Martin Kpebu is actually alleged to have caused some corruption related offenses yet,” he stated.
Mr. Abdulai warned that state institutions must not be used to target individuals unfairly.
“We shouldn’t weaponize institutions to unduly maltreat people under the guise of law,” he said.
Martin Kpebu, who was arrested and detained by the OSP on Wednesday, has since been released on bail.
