Africa-Press – Ghana. The New Patriotic Party Minority Caucus in Parliament has criticised the Attorney General’s alleged decision to discontinue the prosecution of former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffour and seven others in connection with the collapse of UniBank.
According to the Caucus, the decision raises serious concerns about the integrity of the prosecutorial process and the rule of law.
Addressing the Parliamentary Press Corps in Parliament House, Accra, on Monday, Mr. Kwame Anyimadu-Antwi, the Ranking Member on the Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, on behalf of the Caucus, questioned whether the Attorney General, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, had a conflict of interest in the case, given his alleged past involvement with Dr. Duffour.
Mr. Anyimadu Antwi said: “Ghanaians would want the Attorney General to explain to us the full extent of the conflict of interest using Dominic Ayine as defense counsel and Dominic Ayine as the Attorney General.”
The Minority Caucus also questioned the basis for the 60 per cent recovery threshold used by the Attorney General to discontinue the prosecution.
“Is it a new policy directive? When was this introduced into our criminal jurisprudence?” he asked. Furthermore, Mr. Anyimadu-Antwi, also the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Asante-Akim Central, disputed the calculation of the recovered amount, citing that the Attorney General was allegedly insisting that GH¢800 million recovered from Dr. Duffour constituted 60 per cent of the total amount involved.
The Minority expressed concern that the accused persons were allegedly allowed to walk free without a conviction, despite agreeing to pay 60 per cent of the amount involved.
“Why was the accused person not convicted even when he agreed to pay 60 per cent in line with the plea bargain agreement or Section 35 of the Courts Act?” he asked.
The Caucus has called on various stakeholders, including the Parliament of Ghana, the Legal Council and the Bar Association, to act.
“We call on the Parliament of Ghana, particularly its Select Committee on Constitutional, Legal, and Parliamentary Affairs, to summon the Attorney-General to answer these questions publicly,” he said.
The NPP Minority Caucus has also issued a formal notice to the Attorney General, stating that if his decision is not reversed within a reasonable time, they will consider challenging his decision in court.
“Let it be known that justice must not only be done, but it must also manifestly be seen to be done,” the Ranking Member said.
Meanwhile, other stakeholders, including Mr. Alhassan Sulemana Tampuli, Deputy Ranking Member of Parliament’s Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee, have also expressed concerns about the Attorney General’s decision.
Mr. Tampuli described the decision as “alarming and deeply troubling,” warning that it could undermine public trust in Ghana’s judicial system and set a dangerous precedent of politicising accountability.
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