President Akufo-Addo has moved to provide protection for Martin Amidu after the former Special Prosecutor claimed his life was being threatened.
The President has directed the Inspector General of Police to ensure that Mr. Amidu gets 24-hour protection with immediate effect.
This was announced on Thursday, November 19, 2020, in a statement signed by the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin.
“The attention of the Office of the President has been drawn to claims by Mr. Martin Amidu, the former Special Prosecutor, of threats made against his life since his resignation from office. The President has, thus, directed the Inspector General of Police to provide Mr Amidu immediately with 24 hour police protection,” the statement said.
This comes after Mr. Amidu claimed he has been receiving death threats since resigning, insisting some have also threatened to burn his house.
Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM, he noted that President Akufo-Addo should be blamed if anything happens to him (Amidu).
“Anyone who tries to fight corruption must be aware from the beginning that corruption will fight back, and from all that is going on, corruption is fighting back and it’s demonstrating that the whole issue about fighting corruption is only rhetoric and the time of reckoning has come,” he said.
“And nobody should push me because if I decide to respond, I will do so without fear or favour even to the extent of losing my life for speaking the truth and defending the Constitution of Ghana.”
“Now I am a private citizen and nobody can control me and I have the constitutional right to defend myself and the Constitution of Ghana as by law established. All these threats of murdering me and burning houses, I am aware…I know the persons behind it and the President will be responsible for anything that happens to me.”
Mr. Amidu officially resigned as Special Prosecutor on Monday, November 16, 2020, to the surprise of many Ghanaians.
In a letter to President Akufo-Addo, he said he took the decision to resign due to several factors, including consistent interference of his work.
He also disclosed that he and his deputy did not receive any salaries in the three years that they’ve been working.
The Presidency subsequently accepted his resignation on Wednesday, November 17, 2020, but denied ever interfering in his work.
