Former presidential staffer Charles Bissue and another accused person, Andy Owusu, have pleaded not guilty to corruption-related charges filed against them by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and had been granted bail by the court.
Confirming the bail, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) took to its X (formerly Twitter) platform on May 6, 2025, stating: “Court Update: In Republic v. Bissue & Owusu, both pleaded not guilty to 15 counts including abuse of office for profit.
Bail: GHS 200k each, 2 sureties (1 justified), passports deposited with court. To report to OSP monthly. Adjourned to 29 May 2025.”
The date of the arrest was not disclosed, but the two were charged with 15 counts of corruption-related offenses, including abuse of office for profit.They are facing trial at the Criminal Division of the Accra High Court.
The court granted each of them bail in the sum of GH₵200,000, with two sureties—one of whom must be justified. The court also ordered the accused to deposit their passports with the Court Registry.
In addition, they must report to the Office of the Special Prosecutor once every month until the case is concluded.
The OSP alleges that Charles Bissue used his former position as Secretary of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM) for personal gain. Investigators claim that Bissue received GH₵35,000 from Benjamin Adjapong in exchange for helping to renew the expired mining licence of a company called ORR Resources Limited.
According to the charge sheet, Bissue allegedly bypassed laid-down procedures of the IMCIM in the renewal process. These procedures included verifying documents, acquiring permits, mapping concessions, and conducting vetting exercises. The OSP claims that the renewal was fast-tracked unlawfully.
The case is connected to an undercover investigation carried out by journalist AnasAremeyawAnas and his investigative team, Tiger Eye P.I. The exposé focused on corruption in the government’s efforts to fight illegal mining in Ghana.
The second accused person, Andy Thomas Owusu, who is also a former presidential staffer, allegedly acted as a middleman. The OSP claims that he facilitated the payment from Adjapong to Bissue. Owusu is facing several charges, including corruption of a public officer and receiving bribes to influence official duties. He is said to have personally received GH₵15,000 as part of the alleged scheme.
According to the OSP, President Nana Addo DankwaAkufo-Addo created the IMCIM in March 2017 to help stop illegal mining in the country. In April of that year, the government suspended all small-scale mining operations for six months, which was later extended by another nine months. Mining companies were required to go through a proper vetting and verification process before returning to business.
The OSP claims that Bissue, who led the vetting process, used his position to benefit himself financially. Investigators believe that Owusu initially demanded GH₵100,000 from Adjapong, claiming he could influence Bissue to approve the renewal. The fee was later reduced to GH₵40,000.
According to the Special Prosecutor, Bissue eventually took GH₵35,000, and Owusu received GH₵15,000. As a result of the payments, ORR Resources Enterprise received official stickers and permits, even though the company had not completed all required processes.
The case continues as the Office of the Special Prosecutor pushes for accountability and justice in the fight against corruption.
