By Seli Baisie
A High Court in Accra has ordered the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to pay GH¢15,000 in costs following its ruling in a case challenging the office’s authority to independently prosecute criminal matters.
The order was made in the case GJ/0369/2026: The Republic vs The Office of the Special Prosecutor (on the application of Peter Archibold Hyde), in which the applicant questioned the prosecutorial powers of the OSP.
Explaining the decision, EIB Network’s Legal Affairs Correspondent, Murtala Inusah, said the court found merit in the applicant’s arguments.
“The court is minded to consider cost as a form of compensation to the applicant, having succeeded in the matter,” he stated.
According to him, such cost awards are common in legal proceedings where the court determines that one party has successfully argued its case.
“The applicant came to court and advanced his arguments, and the OSP responded. The court found merit in the applicant’s case and therefore awarded costs,” he explained.
The cost order forms part of a broader ruling in which the court held that the OSP must obtain authorisation from the Attorney-General’s Department before initiating criminal prosecutions.
The development adds to ongoing legal scrutiny of the OSP’s operations and could have implications for its current and future cases.
