By Christopher Arko
Accra, Feb. 15, GNA – Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, the immediate-past Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has accused Dr Dominic Ayine, the current Attorney-General, of planning to “whitewash” some officials of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) through the withdrawal of high-profile criminal cases.
He said Dr Ayine was doing everything possible to clothe those NDC officials with perpetual immunity to shield them from being prosecuted for offences committed against the State.
At a press conference in Accra on Friday, Mr Dame stated that the posture adopted by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice threatened to undermine Ghana’s democratic and good governance structures.
It would be recalled that Dr Ayine on Wednesday, February 12, held a press conference to justify his decision to discontinue the prosecution of some high-profile criminal cases over what he described as “unethical conduct.”
Mr Dame, in a rebuttal, noted that the decision was an attempt to shield NDC members who had been arraigned for crimes against the State.
He said the President, through his Attorney-General, had “become the clearing agent to indemnify their allies who have duly been put before the courts for commission of crimes.”
“I am, however, reassured by the fact that Ghanaians are discerning enough to discover the illegitimate motives for the discontinuance of the cases in question.”
Mr Dame noted that when Dr Ayine was sworn into office on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, by the following Friday he had caused to be filed a notice of abandonment of the appeal by the State in the Republic vrs Ato Forson and two others.
On Tuesday, January 28, Dr Ayine withdrew the case against Dr Stephen Opuni and two others, resulting in the complete “whitewash of their crimes by an acquittal and discharge through the backdoor.”
On January 29 he entered another withdrawal in the Republic Vrs. Ofosu Ampofo and another, again resulting in an acquittal and discharge of the accused.
Dr Ayine also withdrew two different cases the following day against Dr Johnson Asiama, resulting in his acquittal and discharge in one, and a discharge in the other.
“There are more withdrawals and nolle prosequi to be entered by the NDC-led government through the Attorney-General in the subsequent days,” Mr Dame said.
GNA