The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has clarified that former finance minister Dr Kwabena Duffour was not charged with stealing or looting public funds.

During a public address at the Government’s Accountability Series on Monday, July 28, 2025, Dr Ayine stated that Dr Duffour and seven others faced charges including causing financial loss to the state, fraudulent breach of trust, falsification of accounts, dishonest receipt of funds, and money laundering.

"Kwabena Duffour and the other persons standing trial were not charged with stealing or looting of public funds. They were charged with causing financial loss to the state, fraudulent breach of trust, falsification of accounts... dishonestly receiving, and money laundering," Dr Ayine emphasised.

The Attorney General further explained that the decision to discontinue the case was based on the absence of evidence suggesting Dr Duffour and the other accused personally benefited from the transactions at UniBank.

"The facts and the evidence supporting these charges never alleged that those standing trial personally benefited from the banking transactions that gave rise to these charges," he stated.

Dr Ayine also moved to dispel misconceptions surrounding the charge of causing financial loss to the state.

He clarified that this charge does not imply the accused personally misappropriated or took the lost funds.

"When someone is charged with, for instance, causing financial loss to the state, it does not imply from a criminal liability point of view that they took the resources that have been lost," he explained.

“Instead, the prosecution aims to prove that the individual either intentionally or recklessly or negligently caused the state to lose resources or to lose funds,” he added.

MAG/VPO

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