The High Court in Accra has granted bail to Charles Bissue, former Secretary to the now-defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), and his associate Andy Owusu, as the state presses forward with its high-profile anti-corruption campaign in the illegal mining sector.
The duo, facing 15 corruption-related charges, were each granted bail set at GH₵200,000 with two sureties—one of whom must be justified. Both pleaded not guilty and were directed to surrender their passports to the court and report monthly to the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).
The charges stem from investigations led by the OSP into alleged acts of corruption and abuse of office connected to the illegal mining (galamsey) industry, a sector plagued by environmental degradation and regulatory failure.
According to court filings, Bissue is alleged to have used his public position for personal enrichment, specifically by receiving GH₵15,000 through Owusu from a businessman, Benjamin Adjapong, in January 2019—an act believed to be linked to facilitating mining permits or shielding operations.
This prosecution represents a critical test of Ghana’s commitment to dismantling entrenched corruption in the enforcement of mining laws, especially given the public disillusionment following the collapse of the IMCIM and persistent galamsey activity.
The case has been adjourned to May 29, when proceedings are expected to delve deeper into the alleged transactions and their implications for public sector integrity.
