The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has announced that the Accra High Court has dismissed its application for a stay of execution of a ruling that bars the anti-corruption agency from independently prosecuting criminal cases.

In a statement posted on its Facebook page on Monday, June 15, 2026, the OSP disclosed that the High Court, General Jurisdiction Division 10, presided over by Justice Eugene John Nyante Nyadu, declined to halt the enforcement of the earlier decision pending further legal proceedings.

The Office indicated that it would immediately seek a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal in an effort to preserve its prosecutorial functions while the matter is being contested.

According to the OSP, it has already initiated substantive legal challenges against the High Court’s ruling at both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

The dispute stems from a recent judgment directing that all criminal cases initiated by the OSP be transferred to the Attorney-General’s Department.

In his ruling, Justice Nyadu held that although the OSP has the legal authority to investigate corruption-related offences, it does not possess the constitutional mandate to independently prosecute criminal matters.

The court based its decision on Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution, which vests prosecutorial authority in the Attorney-General.

The case originated from a quo warranto application filed by private citizen Peter Achibold Hyde, who challenged the legality of the OSP’s prosecutorial powers.

Reacting to the ruling, the anti-corruption body argued that the High Court exceeded its jurisdiction in making the determination.

The OSP maintains that only the Supreme Court has the authority to declare provisions of an Act of Parliament unconstitutional and has vowed to pursue all available legal avenues to overturn the decision.

The outcome of the appeals is expected to have significant implications for the future scope of the OSP’s mandate and its role in Ghana’s anti-corruption framework.