In July of 2023, a lawsuit against the Agyapa Royalties deal filed by the Ghana Integrity Initiative and Transparency International Ghana was rejected by a regional court.

The verdict issued by the Economic Community of West African States' (ECOWAS) Court of Justice indicated that the plaintiffs' request for Ghana to halt the sale of its gold royalties through the Agyapa deal lacked a valid foundation.

During a virtual hearing held on July 11, 2023, the court dismissed all claims made by the plaintiffs, which included Transparency International and its subsidiary, the Ghana Integrity Initiative.

The Ghanaian government was taken to the ECOWAS court by Transparency International, Ghana Integrity Initiative, and Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition over concerns related to the Agyapa deal.

The Agyapa Royalties deal

In the year 2020, the Ghanaian government put forth a proposition aimed at generating funds through the issuance of shares from a company named Agyapa Royalties Limited on the London Stock Exchange.

However, this proposal was met with substantial backlash from both civil society organizations and the opposition. They contended that the deal was veiled in secrecy and tainted by corruption, alleging that it would permit politicians to amass wealth to the detriment of the nation.

Later within that same year, veteran journalist Kweku Baako confirmed that Gabby's company had fulfilled the role of transaction advisors to the government in the unsuccessful deal.

Baako went on to clarify that a law firm based in the UK served as the primary advisors for the deal, and Africa Legal Associates operated on behalf of this law firm.

“It is not true that Gabby’s firm got US$2 million from the deal. It is not true that his firm is a beneficiary of US$2 million. It’s not even up to US$105,000. It is the main transaction advisor that paid Gabby. It is about US$103,000. It is not US$2 million”.

One major issue that has emanated from the brouhaha surrounding the deal is the role of Osafo-Maafo’s son and Gabby Otchere-Darko.