NPP Director Challenges OSP Consistency in Hamid Investigation

New Patriotic Party (NPP) Communications Director Richard Ahiagbah has questioned the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s (OSP) handling of the case involving Dr. Mustapha Hamid, calling for clearer procedures and less public commentary on ongoing investigations. Ahiagbah expressed concern about what he described as shifting positions in OSP statements regarding assets allegedly linked to the former official.

Speaking on Metro TV, Ahiagbah noted inconsistencies in how the case has been presented publicly. “The OSP has changed its position on this Mustapha Hamid matter several times. It says one thing and changes charges up and down. Things have not been strict,” he remarked.

The communications director emphasized that courts have not confirmed connections between seized properties and Dr. Hamid, despite suggestions made in OSP statements. He argued that until judicial proceedings establish facts through evidence, public assertions should not be treated as conclusive. “At present, what the Special Prosecutor has said cannot be taken as fact,” Ahiagbah stated.

He criticized the ambiguity in OSP communications about the seized assets, which prompted a response from Dr. Hamid’s legal team. “From what you read, they are intending to link those to Dr. Hamid, which is the reason his lawyers issued that statement. The statement the OSP made is implicit, it should be explicit,” Ahiagbah explained.

The NPP official urged both prosecutors and accused persons to allow legal processes to unfold without engaging in public exchanges that might prejudice proceedings. He maintained that disputes should be settled through courtroom evidence rather than media statements. “It has to be disputed in court based on evidence. If the matter relates to those properties and the court admits evidence linking them to him, his lawyers will not come here to contradict that tomorrow,” he said.

Ahiagbah reinforced that the NPP maintains a firm stance against corruption and does not shield officials accused of misconduct. He clarified that criticizing OSP procedures does not constitute defending wrongdoing. “The New Patriotic Party, unequivocally, is against corruption and any act of corruption as a party. We are against it. We will not defend people who, for purposes of serving the state, have misconducted themselves or abused office for personal gain,” he declared.

However, he warned against what he termed “media trials” that create perceptions of guilt before judicial determinations. Ahiagbah argued that publicly discussing cases before their conclusion undermines fair process and creates unfair judgments in public opinion. “There is a problem in the country now where these individuals are deemed already to have committed those crimes,” he observed.

The communications director stressed that investigations must be guided by evidence and equal application of the law rather than media narratives. He called for the OSP to focus on presenting cases in court rather than seeking public attention through press conferences and statements.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor has not responded to Ahiagbah’s comments. The case involving Dr. Hamid remains before the courts, with no trial date publicly announced.