BY Nadia Ntiamoah
The public confrontation between investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni and the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has escalated into one of the most contentious debates in the recent anti-corruption efforts.
The disagreement—rooted in conflicting timelines, contrasting interpretations of the SML revenue assurance scandal, and a controversial claim that the OSP “saved Ghana US$2.7 billion”—is stirring intense public scrutiny and raising fresh questions about transparency and accountability within state institutions.
Background
The SML controversy burst into the national spotlight in December 2023 when The Fourth Estate team, led by Manasseh Azure, aired an explosive documentary.
The investigation uncovered revelations that the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) had contracted Strategic Mobilisation Ghana Ltd. (SML) for revenue assurance services that: overlapped existing systems, ignored procurement rules, offered questionable value for money and had ballooning financial implications for the state.
The documentary triggered an immediate response from the Presidency, which ordered KPMG to conduct a comprehensive audit of SML’s contracts. KPMG’s findings confirmed major procurement and operational concerns
As a result, President Akufo-Addo suspended and later terminated key components of SML’s contracts.
Manasseh Azure maintains that these presidential interventions stopped an estimated 80% of the potential financial losses—well before the OSP took concrete action.
Flashpoint
The feud reignited when the OSP’s communications director, Sammy Darko, claimed in a public statement that the OSP had “saved Ghana US$2.7 billion” by halting the consolidated SML contract.
Manasseh Azure challenged the claim immediately, stating that:
1. No such figure exists in any signed SML contract.
2. The consolidated contract, which was later withdrawn, showed a total five-year value just above US$500 million.
3. The KPMG audit also referenced amounts consistent with approximately that figure.
4. The OSP’s reliance on a PPA approval letter was inaccurate because the number does not appear anywhere in that document.
5. The Special Prosecutor, Kissi Agyebeng, privately conceded to him that the US$2.7bn figure was not in the contract.
Manasseh Azure described the OSP’s claim as misleading, arguing that it could distort public understanding of the scandal.
Misrepresentation
In a lengthy rebuttal, the OSP accused Manasseh Azure of: misrepresenting the facts, Ignoring official reports, misquoting timelines, undermining the credibility of an ongoing criminal case, relying on discussions with “a middle-level officer” rather than the lead investigators and risking conflict of interest by commenting publicly on a case in which he is likely to be a witness.
The OSP insisted that its investigative reports since December 2023 clearly indicate that the SML inquiry began the same month the documentary aired.
Timelines
Manasseh Azure countered the OSP’s narrative with documented communication exchanges, arguing that:
1. January 29, 2025 Message
An OSP investigator texted him to say the office was “ABOUT TO START” investigations.
2. January 31, 2025 Meeting
He was invited to a virtual briefing during which the OSP stated that it needed background information before commencing the SML investigation.
3. February 5, 2025 Email
The OSP wrote requesting details to “aid us in the preparation of the investigation.”
According to Manasseh Azure, these communications prove the OSP:
Had not begun investigating when former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta left Ghana
Did not have evidence to support later claims that he evaded arrest
Could not claim credit for actions taken before its investigative process started
Manasseh Azure stressed that the OSP’s public assertion of starting in December 2023 contradicts its internal correspondence.
Fugitive
The dispute further intensified when the OSP described Ofori-Atta as “a fugitive from justice.”
Manasseh Azure disagreed, stating emphatically that: Ofori-Atta travelled out of Ghana legally, with presidential approval, at the time he travelled, the OSP had not begun any formal investigation, therefore, he could not have been evading a process that did not exist yet
The OSP defended its position by insisting: it does not control airports or borders, it cannot override a presidential medical travel clearance, It still maintains that Ofori-Atta evaded lawful arrest efforts, and his remains one of the most contested aspects of the saga.
Sammy Darko Counter
Sammy Darko followed up with an even sharper response, accusing Manasseh Azure of: Trying to “downplay the remarkable work” of the OSP, ignoring the 78 criminal charges the OSP has filed publicly misrepresenting the OSP’s investigative powers, and fixating on “minor contradictions” rather than the substance of the prosecution
He insisted the OSP had done more to fight corruption in the SML matter than any other institution—journalistic or governmental.
The escalating confrontation exposes structural weaknesses and institutional rivalry in the anti-corruption framework.
Manasseh Fire Back
After releasing several detailed rebuttals, Manasseh Azure said he was ending commentary on the case to avoid influencing court processes, but he stood firmly by three claims:
1. There is no US$2.7 billion figure in the SML contract.
2. The OSP delayed its investigation.
3. All major actions—including Akufo-Addo’s suspensions and Mahama’s subsequent decisions—were triggered by investigative journalism, not the OSP.
The OSP, however, maintains that: it acted promptly, within its mandate, It uncovered criminal conduct warranting 78 charges, it saved the country money and it rejects Manasseh Azure’s narrative as inaccurate.
