Here’s how to file a case with the OSP; Full guide

• The OSP allows Ghanaians to report suspected corruption anonymously or by providing their personal details.

• Complaints can be submitted online, by phone, email or in person at the OSP's Accra office.

• Complainants can explain the alleged offence and upload supporting documents to help the OSP assess the report.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has an online reporting platform that allows members of the public to submit complaints anonymously or openly, while the office also accepts reports by phone, email and in person.

Ghanaians who suspect that a person or organisation may be involved in corruption or a corruption-related offence can report the matter to the Office.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor was established under the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, 2017 (Act 959), which came into force in January 2018. Its mandate includes investigating and prosecuting specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences, recovering proceeds of corruption and taking steps to prevent corruption.

For someone who wants to report a suspected corruption case, here is how the process works.

The OSP's online complaint system allows a person to submit a report without giving their name.

Go to the Office of the Special Prosecutor's official website and select the option to Report Corruption. The OSP's online reporting page provides different reporting options, including anonymous reporting and open reporting, phone or email contact and reporting in person.

Under the anonymous reporting option, the complainant is asked to select the alleged offence from the options provided from extortion, corruption, abuse of office among many others. 

There is also a section where you can explain what happened and provide additional information that may help the OSP understand the complaint.

The OSP says its anonymous form does not collect personally identifiable information unless the complainant voluntarily provides it.

The complainant should clearly explain the suspected corruption or corruption-related offence. This is the section where important details about what happened can be provided.

The OSP's online form also allows complainants to upload supporting materials, including images, PDF files and DOC files, with an indicated maximum file size of 10MB per upload.

The more relevant information available to support a complaint, the easier it may be for the OSP to assess the report.

For anonymous submissions, however, the OSP says information is not collected unless it is voluntarily provided by the complainant.

After completing the form, the complainant can submit the report anonymously.

A person who is comfortable identifying themselves can also submit a complaint with their details.

The OSP's open-reporting form asks for the complainant's first name, phone number and email address.

The complainant then chooses the alleged offence from the options provided on the platform. A description box is available for the person to explain the circumstances and provide additional information.

The complainant can attach supporting documents or other relevant files to the report before submitting it. The OSP says its reporting system is designed to protect complainant data, and its website states that communications are treated with the strictest confidence.

People who do not want to use the online platform can contact the OSP directly.

The office lists 0800-000-700 as its toll-free number and says the line is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The OSP also says people may remain anonymous when using the toll-free line.

The OSP can also be reached through corruptionreporting@osp.gov.gh.

For physical complaints, the office is located at 6 Haile Selassie Avenue, South Ridge, Accra.

Submitting a complaint does not automatically mean that the person named in the complaint will be prosecuted.

Under the OSP's operational regulations, the office can act on complaints from people who have information about corruption, victims of corruption, informants and investigative journalism reports, among other sources. It can also initiate investigations where available facts or circumstances reasonably indicate that an investigation may be necessary.

The regulations provide that complaints may be submitted in writing, orally, by fax or by email. They also provide for complaints to be acknowledged by the Office. The OSP can then assess the information and, where appropriate, conduct an investigation.