The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has debunked claims that he is under pressure to enter into plea deals with former government appointees who are under investigation for corruption-related activities.

He said this at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

Dr Ayine disclosed that although some of the accused persons, including the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, have made plea bargain offers, he has in no way been influenced by any individual or authority, specifically President John Dramani Mahama, to accept any offer in the discharge of his duties.

“I’m under no pressure from any quarters to cut deals. Mr President, who is my boss, has not put any pressure on me. He gives me his blessings when I brief him. The Chief of Staff has not put pressure on me to cut deals with anybody.

“Offers have been made, but I have turned all of them down. I have told everybody, please go to court. In the Wontumi case, offers were made to us for a plea bargain, but I said no, I’m filing charges. If you want to announce your intention for a plea deal, do it before the judge. That is now my strategy,” he explained.

Dr Dominic Ayine also shut down claims that he was negotiating plea deals with some NPP officials, describing such reports as false and politically motivated.

“The NPP took advantage and said I was cutting deals. No deals have been cut, and no deal will be cut,” he maintained.

Chairman Wontumi, the first accused in a case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited, is facing charges of engaging in unlicensed mining operations and assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval.

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He has pleaded not guilty to all charges.

He has since been granted bail in two separate rulings by different High Courts in Accra.

In the first instance, Justice Audrey Kocuvie-Tay granted him bail in the sum of GH¢15 million with three sureties, two of whom are required to justify with landed property within the court’s jurisdiction.

In a separate ruling, Justice Ruby Aryeetey granted bail to Wontumi and Edward Akuoko, the Operations Manager of Akonta Mining Company Limited, in the amount of GH¢10 million each, with two sureties, one of whom must justify with property.

Chairman Wontumi has since met the bail conditions and has been released from custody as proceedings continue in both cases related to Akonta Mining Company Limited.

ID/AE