The former Attorney General, Godfred Dame, has criticised the decision by his successor, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, to discontinue some high-profile cases initiated by the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo without wide consultations.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, February 14, 2024, he stated that the cases involved significant losses of taxpayers' monies and had devastating impacts of the country's economy.

"The people of Ghana should be very scared if we have an Attorney General whose prime consideration for the discontinuation of criminal cases involving the loss of billions of Ghana cities is the position of defence lawyers on charges preferred against their clients, rather than the interest of the republic in the prosecution of crime. Even more scary and bizarre is the claim that he did not consult President John Dramani Mahama before taking the monumental decisions to discontinue the criminal cases.

"The cases involved the loss of colossal sums of taxpayers money and some related to the banking sector crisis, which affected the Ghanaian economy. The people of Ghana should indeed be extremely concerned and afraid by the vesting of prosecutorial authority in a person who can discontinue the prosecution of such important and high-profile cases without discussing with the president of the republic and members of the Cabinet, even defense counsel.?

He continued that, "The people of Ghana should be extremely concerned and afraid when prosecutorial authority is vested in a person who can unilaterally discontinue such important cases. When I was in office, I consulted widely on such matters — how much more the president?”

He further suggested that the discontinuation of the cases were part of an agenda to restore revoked banking licenses and clear individuals whose actions contributed to the crisis.

"The nation has not forgotten the loud claim by President John Mahama and the NDC that the NPP rather was responsible for the crisis in the banking sector and that on assuming power, the John Mahama government will restore all the banking licenses which were revoked. The withdrawal of the cases in question is only the first step of the clearing or whitewashing process of those whose acts led to the crisis that plagued the banking sector.

"I find generally that all his explanations are laden with contradictions and inconsistencies and betray the questionable motives for his actions," he stated.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice has provided detailed justifications for his decision to drop criminal charges in several high-profile cases, including those involving former government officials from the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, emphasised that his decisions were guided by ethical considerations, legal principles, and a commitment to fairness and transparency.

He has withdrawn the case against the Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, who was being prosecuted for causing financial loss to the state, as well as cases involving Mahama’s former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Asiamah; former COCOBOD CEO, Dr. Stephen Opuni; and former Minister of Works and Housing, Alhaji Collins Dauda, among others.

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