In a strong call to action, investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has urged the Acting Chief Justice Paul Baffour Bonnie to take decisive steps to ensure that Ghana’s justice system delivers swift and credible outcomes in ongoing corruption prosecutions under the government’s anti-corruption drive, dubbed Operation Recover All Loots.
According to Manasseh, the nation has had enough of what he described as “judicial theatrics” that drag cases indefinitely without resolution. He stressed that the judiciary must uphold fairness, but also act with urgency when handling corruption cases involving public funds.
“The Chief Justice of the Republic of Ghana must step in and call some of the judges to order. All offences are bailable, and bail conditions must not be outrageously set to punish suspects”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni, Investigative Journalist and Writer
Manasseh argued that the public deserves justice that is both fair and fast, not endless courtroom drama that erodes confidence in the judiciary. “Public office holders who have stolen from us must face justice. But when we see justice, we know it. And when we see drama, we know it,” he said.
The journalist drew comparisons with judicial systems in other democracies, notably the United States, where high-profile cases are often concluded within weeks.
He pointed out that Ghana’s own courts have demonstrated the capacity for expedited proceedings during election petition hearings and constitutional suits against the Electoral Commission, which are often determined within a few weeks. “I see no reason why we cannot resolve high-profile corruption cases in two months,” he stressed.
Establishment of Special Court
To this end, Manasseh urged the Chief Justice to consider establishing special courts dedicated to corruption and financial crimes, adequately resourced to sit continuously until cases are concluded.
“Corruption is a serious issue, and the Chief Justice can help us deal with these cases swiftly. Set up special courts and resource them to sit continuously on these cases. Don’t give lawyers of the accused thieves room to needlessly drag the process”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni, Investigative Journalist and Writer
He was equally critical of the prosecution process, cautioning state attorneys against filing incomplete cases. “If prosecutors are not ready with everything needed for trial, they should also not waste the courts’ time,” he warned.
Manasseh argued that Ghana’s judicial system can “change the narrative” if both the judiciary and the prosecutorial service commit to urgency and professionalism.
“We can hasten things up. If the accused are innocent, they should be set free. If they are found guilty, let’s put them in jail. Their lawyers can appeal.
“This is more useful than the outrageous bail conditions that come with outcries, and after that, nothing is heard.”
Manasseh Azure Awuni, Investigative Journalist and Writer
His comments come against the backdrop of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine’s vigorous anti-corruption prosecutions targeting former public officials.
These include the trial of former Director of the Signal Bureau, Kwabena Adu-Boahene, and three others; the ongoing National Service Authority/Scheme Ghost Names Scandal involving former Executive Director Osei Assibey Antwi and his deputy, Gifty Oware Mensah; and two separate criminal cases against the former Ashanti Regional Chairman of the NPP, Bernard Antwi Bosiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, over his company Akonta Mining’s alleged involvement in illegal mining.
The latest in the line of prosecutions is the case involving former Chief Executive Officer of the National Buffer Stock Company, Mr. Hanan Abdul Wahab, and his wife, Mrs. Faiza Seidu, who are accused in a $78 million scandal.
Growing Public Pressure
Manasseh’s call for judicial discipline and speed aligns with growing public pressure from civil society leaders and legal scholars for systemic reform of Ghana’s justice delivery.
The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) and prominent legal minds such as Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare and Oliver Barker-Vormawor have each called for urgent reforms that would guarantee timely and uninterrupted trials of corruption cases.
President John Dramani Mahama has already signaled his commitment to this agenda. In his earliest engagement with the Acting Chief Justice, and the Chief Justice Nominee, Justice Paul Baffour Bonnie, and the Auditor-General Johnson Akuamoah, they resolved to establish special courts to fast-track corruption-related cases, particularly those flagged in the Auditor-General’s reports.
The Attorney General’s office is also working on a Public Tribunal Bill, which aims to strengthen the state’s capacity to prosecute corruption and illegal mining cases more efficiently.
The proposed legislation, according to government sources, would create a special prosecutorial framework to ensure continuous hearings and prevent adjournments that have historically delayed corruption trials.
For Manasseh, these policy commitments must translate into visible action. “The drama must end. Using bail as punishment must cease. Let swift prosecution begin,” he declared.
For him, that’s what Ghanaians need, the same as what the alleged thieves deserve. “Ghanaians need swift prosecutions, not unending slideshows of useless drama,” Manasseh stressed.
His words resonate deeply with a citizenry long frustrated by the slow pace and inconsistent outcomes of corruption trials. With the Operation Recover All Loots initiative gathering pace, the true test, as Manasseh suggests, will be whether the judiciary can rise above spectacle and deliver justice with speed, integrity, and finality.
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