Some Terminated Cases were Defective and Against Common Sense - Ayine

Accra, Ghana - 12 Feb, 2025 - Ghana's Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has defended his decision to discontinue several high-profile cases, citing ethical, professional, and legal concerns.

The move has sparked criticism, with some accusing Dr. Ayine of shielding officials and associates of the previous Mahama administration.

Dr. Ayine addressed journalists on Wednesday, February 12, explaining that his decision was guided by a commitment to upholding the law and protecting the rights of the accused. He stated that some cases were defective, lacked sufficient evidence, or raised reasonable doubts about the guilt of the accused persons.

“For ethical and professional reasons, I couldn’t in good conscience continue to prosecute some of the cases. The second was that some of the cases, in my own review and analysis of the charges, showed clearly that the charges were defective and some were far against the promptness of plain commonsense.,” he stated.

“The third was that in some of the cases, the evidence led so far showed that there was a reasonable doubt, as to the guilt of the accused persons and no prosecutor should continue to pursue a case in the face of overwhelming doubt regarding the guilt of accused persons.

“In most of the cases I had terminated proceedings, the conduct of some of the individual judges left so much to be desired.”

He emphasized that all accused persons in the discontinued cases had been acquitted and discharged, stressing that his decision was not influenced by political pressure.

The cases dropped include the Saglemi Housing Project, charges against Bank of Ghana Governor Johnson Asiama, the Democracy Hub case, and the prosecution of Stephen Opuni in the COCOBOD case. Dr. Ayine's decision has been backed by Felix Kwakye Ofosu, Minister of State for Government Communication, who argued that many of the cases were politically motivated.

However, not everyone is convinced. Investigative journalist Manasseh Azure has accused President Mahama of shielding former government officials accused of corruption, labeling him the "Chief Clearing Agent".

The opposition has also criticized the move, with some arguing that it undermines the fight against corruption.

Source: Lead News Online