Dr Dominic Ayine, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, has replied to his critics, accusing him of using press conferences to publicly try accused persons.
The Attorney General stressed that his press conferences are to ensure transparency and not to try suspected persons.
Dr Dominic Ayine refer to the Manhattan district attorney holding a detailed press conference on charges against then former President Donald Trump before filing them in court.
Speaking to Bolgatanga-based A1 Radio, Dr Dominic Ayine stated, “I don’t try anybody in public. America is over 200 years a democracy.
No one has said that when they prosecuted in America, detailing their charges, they are trying somebody in public.”
He further stressed that his public addresses are not prejudicial, saying, “They know that the way I lay out the evidence is very strong and provable”.
“Sometimes they get afraid that the people will get to know that, look, these people have actually committed the offences that I am charging them with”.
In related news, Dr Dominic Ayine, before the year ended, revealed that the Mahama government’s Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL) is going well.
The Attorney General further issued a stern warning to state institutions that 2026 is going to be a different year for ORAL.
According to the Attorney General, state institutions that delay when called upon to provide information on alleged corruption will be viewed as being complicit.
Addressing the media in Accra on Monday, December 22, the Attorney General state, “The ORAL investigation is going on well. 2026 is going to be a different year. If I make demands on you [state institutions] and you delay, I will take the view that you are complicit.
“So all state institutions that have information that is needed to file criminal prosecutions should not delay in submitting the information”.
Meanwhile, Alexander Afenyo-Markin, the minority leader in parliament, has told the Attorney General and his deputy that their place is in the courtroom to combat corruption, not in the media.
The minority leader alleged that anytime the NDC government is under pressure, the Attorney General holds a press conference to distract Ghanaians and prejudice potential court cases.
Afenyo-Markin further condemned the Attorney General’s frequent press conferences regarding ongoing corruption investigations.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on JoyNews, Mr Afenyo-Markin explained, “Since they (NDC) assumed office, apart from the PR when they are hot, they only come and then announce a so-called corruption they are investigating somewhere. That’s their playbook now.
Anytime the government is under pressure, the Attorney General would do a press conference”, he claimed.
The minority leader added, “Attorney General’s place is in the court. My respected friend, the MP who is the Attorney General, and his deputy, I want them to know that their place is in a court.
When they are updating you and undermining the place of the court, and disrespecting the rights of people, pronouncing people guilty even before going to court.
Perhaps they are waiting for Baffoe Bonnie to become Chief Justice, so they can control the court, which I wonder how they are going to do that”.