Director of Strategy, Research and Communications at the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), Sammy Darko, has accused private legal practitioner Martin Kpebu of engaging in a sustained pattern of conduct aimed at tarnishing the reputation of the Special Prosecutor and misleading the public.
In a detailed clarification issued following Mr. Kpebu’s arrest on Wednesday, Mr. Darko said the lawyer has, on multiple occasions, acted improperly toward OSP security personnel and afterwards presented “an entirely different version of events” to the public. He noted that the Office had monitored Mr. Kpebu’s interactions for some time and realized recordings were necessary to prevent misrepresentation.
He cited, as an example, Mr. Kpebu’s recent claim that there were 16 petitions demanding the removal of the Special Prosecutor—an assertion the lawyer later admitted was unverified when questioned on live television.
Mr. Darko stressed that the events that led to Mr. Kpebu’s arrest had no link to the ongoing investigation into allegations he has made against the Special Prosecutor and the OSP. Rather, he described the lawyer’s conduct as a consistent pattern of refusing to cooperate with investigators, demanding the removal of certain officers, and raising new objections whenever previous concerns were addressed.
He also rejected Mr. Kpebu’s claim that his case was being handled by “junior staff,” explaining that the investigators are of ranks equivalent to Deputy Commissioners of Police. Assertions that “the OSP is investigating itself,” he added, either stem from misunderstanding or deliberate misrepresentation of how fact-finding committees operate.
Recounting the sequence of events, Mr. Darko said Mr. Kpebu arrived at the OSP premises on Wednesday, parked his vehicle and proceeded outside the gate to grant interviews to the media—something he described as routine for the lawyer.
Security personnel asked him to move away from the entrance, after which he relocated to a nearby fried yam seller’s spot to continue the interview. When he later entered the compound, officers reminded him that photography and videography were prohibited within the premises.
According to Mr. Darko, this reminder angered Mr. Kpebu, who insulted the guards, claimed he could act however he wished, and even suggested that the head of the OSP was “a nobody” who would soon be removed. His conduct, the OSP Director said, amounted to obstruction of officers performing their lawful duties.
Mr. Darko insists the arrest was lawful and carried out without any force or mistreatment, adding that internal records show no report of assault against the lawyer.
Following his arrest, Mr. Kpebu was granted bail under standard administrative procedures. The OSP says his lawyers were briefed on the conditions, but one of them allegedly refused to leave the premises until her client was brought back, verbally abused officers, and created a scene. The confrontation, which according to Mr. Darko was recorded, was managed without force.
As part of the usual processing, the lawyer was transferred to a secure holding area. Addressing public concern over the detention location, Mr. Darko maintained that every step followed protocol and that Mr. Kpebu was never denied access to legal counsel.
Responding to suggestions that the OSP had fallen into a “trap,” Mr. Darko dismissed the notion, asserting that the Office simply enforced the law to maintain order on its premises.
“The message is clear: connections, public influence, or media prominence do not place anyone above the law,” he said, adding that similar conduct would have led to immediate arrest at any major security installation such as the Police Headquarters or the National Intelligence Bureau.
Meanwhile, Mr. Kpebu reported to the Office of the Special Prosecutor on Thursday morning as required under his bail conditions to assist with further investigations into the alleged obstruction of justice.
