The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has filed an appeal at the High Court in Kumasi, contesting a ruling that acquitted and discharged Alexander Kwabena Sarfo Kantanka, the 2021 nominee for Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Juaben in the Ashanti Region.
Mr. Sarfo Kantanka made headlines in 2021 after a video surfaced online, allegedly showing him demanding a refund of monies he reportedly paid to assembly members to secure their votes for his confirmation as MCE.
In May 2022, the OSP charged him with 26 counts of corruption, accusing him of paying bribes to influence a public election outcome. The case drew significant public attention as one of the first high-profile prosecutions initiated by the Special Prosecutor under Ghana’s anti-corruption law.
Despite the evidence presented, the Kumasi High Court, on May 26, 2025, ruled in favour of Mr. Sarfo Kantanka, acquitting and discharging him. The court determined that the viral video did not provide a direct link between the accused and the alleged act of bribery.
The judgment had been scheduled for delivery in November 2024 but was delayed due to the transfer of the presiding judge. The final decision was read nearly six months later.
The OSP is now seeking to overturn that ruling, arguing that the evidence presented was sufficient to sustain the charges. The appeal sets the stage for a potential landmark ruling on how digital and circumstantial evidence is treated in corruption cases.
