SML petitions CHRAJ, accuses OSP of bias, abuse of power and rights violations

The long-running dispute between the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) and revenue assurance firm Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Limited (SML) has escalated, as SML has formally petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the conduct of the OSP and its Lead Investigator, Mr Albert Akurugu.

The petition, dated November 12, 2025, accuses the OSP of administrative injustice, abuse of power, violation of fair administrative processes, and breaches of SML’s constitutional rights. SML argues that the OSP’s investigation was compromised from the outset due to personal animosity and a clear conflict of interest.

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Alleged Conflict of Interest and Bias

Central to SML’s complaint is the claim that the OSP’s Lead Investigator, Mr Akurugu, had “close ties” to West Blue, the company whose monitoring system SML was contracted to audit after what the government described as “systemic failures” in 2017.

SML alleges that the investigation was influenced by a personal vendetta. The petition cites interrogation room exchanges in which Mr Akurugu allegedly expressed anger that SML had “taken the job of West Blue”, vowing that neither SML nor its CEO, Mr Evans Adusei, would “ever work again”.

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According to the petition, former Commissioner of Customs Mr Isaac Crentsil also testified during interrogation that Mr Akurugu made similar remarks, accusing him of permitting SML to replace West Blue. SML says these threats were captured on the OSP’s own video recording system.

Raid on SML Offices and Alleged Procedural Violations

The petition further accuses the OSP of misconduct during a raid on SML’s Osu and Tema offices on June 10, 2025. The firm alleges that officers:

• Destroyed and seized key technical infrastructure, including servers, firmware, firewalls, and SCADA components.

• Dismantled CCTV systems before the search began—conduct SML describes as a deliberate attempt to obstruct potential evidence.

• Breached national and international standards governing digital forensics, chain-of-custody, and forensic imaging.

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SML also challenges the accuracy and integrity of the OSP’s subsequent report, describing it as “demonstrably inaccurate and damaging.” The firm says the report ignored critical evidence of SML’s contributions, including fiscal recoveries of over USD 1.35 million within its first two months of operation after the collapse of the previous system.

Instead, SML argues, the report “repeatedly praised the West Blue system” while downplaying West Blue’s alleged failures and discrediting SML’s work.

What SML Is Asking CHRAJ to Do

In its petition, SML is requesting that CHRAJ:

• Declare that the OSP’s investigation was compromised by bias, personal animus, and retaliatory motive.

• Investigate the conduct of Lead Investigator Mr Albert Akurugu for abuse of power and procedural violations.

• Examine whether Special Prosecutor Mr Kissi Agyebeng may have been involved in, or failed to prevent, the alleged misconduct.

• Order the OSP to submit the video recordings of interrogation sessions where threats were allegedly made.