President John Dramani Mahama has revealed his government has no interest in prosecuting innocent people.
According to John Mahama, his government remains committed to ensuring that due process is followed in every case.
Mahama highlighted Ghana’s justice system, arguing that the country’s investigative, prosecutorial, and judicial institutions provide safeguards against malicious prosecution.
He rejected allegations that the government’s anti-corruption campaign is intended to target political opponents,
Mahhama explained that authorities only move forward with cases after assessing the available evidence.
Speaking during the Citizens’ Engagement in the Volta Region on Friday, July 17, Mahama stated, “I also want to touch on accountability. We do not harbour any malice against any person, and indeed, I do not take any enjoyment or pride in prosecuting people if they have done no wrong. I believe that our prosecutorial system, investigative system, and judicial system grant enough leverage for people to have justice”.
Mahama stressed that anyone wrongfully prosecuted has the opportunity to seek redress through the courts.
“It shouldn’t be like we’re trying to hound our political opponents or something. We proceed on the basis of the evidence we have received, and then the evidence is weighed, and if it is sufficient, we proceed,” he explained.
In related news, President John Dramani Mahama has quizzed Ghana’s embattled former Finance Minister, Ken Ofori-Atta, on why he is fleeing from his own country if he believes he has not done anything wrong.
Mahama urged Ken Ofori-Atta to return to Ghana as the government pursues legal processes to secure his extradition.
Mahama recalled that Ken Ofori-Atta once described himself as a father responsible for his children.
Speaking during the Reset Tour and Citizens’ Engagement in the Volta Region on Friday, July 17, Mahama stated, “You held the most sensitive position as finance minister and at the point when your own members of parliament, 80 of them signed an application that the president should remove you, you said something historic, you said you are like the father of children and that you can’t run away and leave your children”.
President Mahama added: “So if we Ghanaians are your children, we are calling you, we are begging you, father come back, your children are calling you to come back.”
“If you are a man of principle and you believe you have done nothing wrong, I don’t see why you should flee your own country,” he said.
President Mahama also spoke about the extradition process, which he says must follow the law and respect the rights of the person involved, adding that because the extradition involves another jurisdiction, the process requires the submission of a formal request and a determination by a court in the country where the individual is located.
“Extradition or return of fugitives from justice, it’s a legal process and so you need to respect the rights of the person at the same time,” he said.
“The Attorney General’s Department has done its best; it filed the application, there are some additional documents that were asked for that it is filing, and eventually it will all go before an American judge to make a decision,” he said.
@ghnow_ “This is where Camilla sells her Indomie. Even those of us who have shaken Akufo-Addo’s hand wouldn’t do what she did.” — A man reacts to the sentencing of Camilla Alhassan over false remarks against President Mahama. #GHNow #fyp ♬ original sound – GHnow
@ghnow_ Be very careful with me. That should be your first and last – Bodi MP, Sampson Ahi warns Habib.
♬ original sound – GHnow
