The former Secretary of the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), Charles Bissue has broken his silence on the Office of the Special Prosecutor’s Fifteen (15) criminal charges levelled against him.
According to him, he welcomed the OSP’s decision to proceed with this case after more than five years of deliberation.
He asserted that to ensure transparency and fairness the OSP must submit a complete, unedited, and unaltered version of the video documentary referenced in these proceedings to the court.
Mr Bissue in a press release stated, “For the record, I categorically assert that I have always acted in full compliance with both the legal and ethical obligations of the office I held and the laws of the Republic of Ghana. Any suggestion of misconduct is baseless and will be vigorously challenged through due process,”
“I welcome the OSP’s decision to proceed with this case after more than five years of deliberation. To ensure transparency and fairness, I expect the OSP to submit to the court a complete, unedited, and unaltered version of the video documentary referenced in these proceedings. Ghanaians deserve access to the unvarnished truth and factual evidence, free from distortion or misdirection by external narratives or selective interpretations”.
He added, “I remain fully committed to cooperating with the proceedings and trust that the courts will adjudicate this matter impartially and conclusively. Occurring under a different government than the one in which I previously served, shows the importance of impartial judicial proceedings”.
“It is my sincere hope that this process will allow all parties an equitable opportunity to present evidence and that the facts will be evaluated fairly, without bias. Above all, I firmly believe that the pursuit of truth and justice must prevail. I urge the public to respect the legal process and refrain from premature judgments. The people of Ghana deserve transparency, accountability, and a resolution rooted in the rule of law,” he stressed.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) filed these charges against Charles Bissue and his alleged accomplice, Andy Thomas Owusu, for corruption and abuse of public office in a mining licensing scandal involving an amount of GHC35,000.
The charges, filed at the High Court (Criminal Division) in Accra on April 28, allege that between the period of January and February 2019, Charles Bissue, while serving as IMCIM Secretary, accepted bribes totalling GHC35,000 from one Benjamin Adjapong, directly and through Owusu, to fast-track the renewal of an expired mining license for ORR Resources Enterprise without proper documentation.
Charles Bissue faces nine counts, including Using Public Office for Profit under Section 179C(a) of Act 29 for receiving 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 under Sections 239(1) & (3) of Act 29 (as amended by Act 1034) for accepting bribes to influence official duties.
The IMCIM, established in 2017 to combat illegal mining (galamsey), was dissolved in 2021 after corruption scandals, including Bissue’s alleged involvement in misappropriating excavators and gold nuggets.
In November 2024, the Human Rights Court dismissed the final in a series of suits filed by Charles Bissue aimed at preventing the Office of the Special Prosecutor from arresting, investigating, or charging him.
Mr Bissue had previously obtained a 10-day ex parte injunction restraining the OSP from arresting him, alleging that the warrant issued was unlawfully procured and intended to harass him.
See the post below:
Charles Bissue issues response to OSP regarding corruption charges.#UTVGhana pic.twitter.com/uJiQSoD5wJ
— UTV Ghana (@utvghana) April 29, 2025
