Key points
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Bissue faces corruption charges over an alleged GH¢35,000 bribe.
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He insists he has not engaged in any wrongdoing.
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He welcomes prosecution under the NDC, saying it ensures fairness.
Charles Bissue, director of operations for Kennedy Agyapong’s presidential campaign, says he feels relieved that his corruption case is now in court.
Bissue, a former presidential staffer and secretary to the defunct Inter-Ministerial Committee on Illegal Mining (IMCIM), called the trial the “most appropriate action” after years of accusations and public criticism.
“I am happy this matter is in court. Once the case ends and I am cleared, people will accept the outcome,” he said.
In April, the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) filed criminal charges against Bissue. The OSP accuses him of taking a GH¢35,000 bribe from businessman Benjamin Adjapong.
The payment was allegedly made to speed up the renewal of an expired mining license for ORR Resources Limited, bypassing standard IMCIM procedures.
Bissue insists he has nothing to hide
Bissue rejected the allegations and said he has faced investigations for nearly eight years. Agencies including the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI), and the OSP have all looked into the matter.
He stressed that the police had cleared him during an earlier probe.
“I have made myself available for every investigation. I have nothing to hide,” he said.
In addition, Bissue argued that the long-running scrutiny shows he has never tried to escape accountability. He noted that continued attacks from political opponents only make the court process more important.
NDC-led prosecution shows fairness, Bissue says
Responding to calls for his arrest, Bissue said citizens can freely share their views. However, he emphasized that only state institutions can decide on matters of justice.
He mentioned presidential staffer Mustapha Gbande, who questioned why he had not been arrested. Bissue dismissed the comments as “assumptions without facts.”
Meanwhile, he welcomed the fact that the prosecution is happening under the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government. He explained that if the case were decided under the New Patriotic Party (NPP), critics might allege political interference.
“I am happy I am being prosecuted under the NDC government. It proves the process is fair,” he said.