The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken notice of allegations of extortion made by Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod) Chief Executive Officer, Sammy Gyamfi, against Minority Leader in Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.

The anti-corruption agency said it had also received petitions from individuals seeking action over the allegations.

The development comes amid a rising dispute between Sammy Gyamfi and Afenyo-Markin over GoldBod’s operations and reported losses under the Domestic Gold Purchasing Programme.

“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the OSP said in a public notice issued on Monday, August 24.

The OSP said it had received a joint petition from two persons as well as two separate petitions from other individuals in relation to the allegations.

The allegations emerged during the public dispute over the reported $1.7 billion losses associated with the Domestic Gold Purchasing Programme, with Sammy Gyamfi accusing the Minority Leader of a smear campaign against him and alleging that an attempt had been made to extort money from him.

Afenyo-Markin has denied the allegations and previously indicated that he would pursue legal remedies over what he described as defamatory claims, although he later adopted a more measured position when asked about taking legal action during his appearance on JoyNews.

This comes after the United Party petitioned the OSP, Attorney-General, Ghana Police Service, CHRAJ and the Speaker of Parliament to investigate the allegations, including a claim involving an alleged demand for US$1 million.