The 'Citizen Vigilante' appointed as Ghana's 'corruption fighter'

pulse-ghana admin 09:31 - 12 January 2018

We look at the profile of Mr. Amidu who has been appointed as the Special Prosecutor in Ghana

Ghanas President has named a well-known anti-corruption crusader, Mr. Martin Alamisi Benz Kaizer Amidu as the countrys first Special Prosecutor.

Business Insider SSA takes a look at the Citizen Vigilante's political journey from a losing running mate to a 'sacked' Attorney General and now, Ghana's first Special Prosecutor

In the December 2000 Presidential election, Mr. Amidu was the running mate of the late John Evans Fiifi Atta Mills on the ticket of the National Democratic Congress (NDC). The two lost the elections to the New Patriotic Party led by John Agyekum Kufour presidential elections, he stood as the running mate of John Atta Mills.

In January 2010 when the NDC won back power, he was appointed as Minister for Interior by then President, John Atta Mills to replace Cletus Avoka.

He was then appointed to serve as the Attorney general and Minister for Justice in 2011

On Thursday January 19, 2012, Mr. Martin Amidu was relieved of his post as Attorney General on grounds of ‘misconduct' at a meeting chaired by H.E. John Atta Mills at the Osu Castle on January 18, 2012.

Thereafter, he single-handedly challenged the legality of the payments made to businessman, Alfred Woyome.

In 2014, the Supreme Court ordered Mr. Woyome to refund the money to the state.

In 2016, the Attorney General, Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong discontinued the case but Mr. Amidu was back in court to file an application to examine Woyome on how he would refund the money.

In February 2017, after the induction of the President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Mr. Amidu withdrew his suit seeking an oral examination, stating that he is hopegul the new administration will retrieve all judgment debts wrongfully paid to individuals.

On Thursday, 11 January, 2018, the President announced Mr. Martin Alamisi Benz Kaizer Amidu as the first Special Prosecutor in the government’s quest to nib corruption in the public sector in the bud and make it unattractive to office holders.