The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Honourable Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has argued that corruption cases initiated under the Operation Recover All Loot initiative are progressing faster than several major cases prosecuted under previous governments. He cited the duration of past corruption trials under the Fourth Republic to counter claims that the current administration’s efforts to prosecute corruption are taking too long.
Honourable Ayine made the comparison during the Resetting Ghana Citizens Engagement with the President in the Upper East Region, where he outlined the progress of cases brought before the courts. He explained that the historical record showed that several corruption cases took years to reach completion.
The Minister of Justice referenced The Republic v. Victor Selormey as one of the earliest corruption cases filed under the Fourth Republic. According to him, the case took about six months, while the Quality Grain case involving Ibrahim Adam and four others lasted approximately 23 months.
Referencing these cases, he noted that several of them took considerably longer to progress under the former administration. He cited the ongoing Adu-Boahene trial as an example of a case that has advanced through significant stages within a relatively short period under the current administration.
The Attorney-General rejected claims that the government was losing its corruption cases in court. He attributed such claims to attempts to divert public attention from the investigative work being undertaken by his office and state investigative agencies.
“The narrative that is going on by the NPP that ORAL is delayed is not true. In fact, our cases are going faster than any other case that has been instituted in the Fourth Republic.”
Honourable Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
A key example involved the National Signals Bureau case, where the prosecution presented documents concerning the movement of public funds into a private account. Honourable Ayine argued that the documentary evidence placed before the court provided a substantial basis for the prosecution’s case.
He nevertheless cautioned against making statements that could prejudice matters currently before the judiciary. The Minister of Justice stressed that the ultimate determination of the cases remained within the authority of the courts.
Analysing the scope of the ORAL initiative, he clarified that the programme encompasse the 34 dockets developed from the initial ORAL Committee report.
Investigations into the Inter Ministerial Committee on Local Government were cited as another matter being pursued under the initiative. The Attorney-General therefore urged citizens to assess ORAL through the full range of investigations being undertaken.
The Minister ultimately projected confidence in the progress of the initiative and its expected outcomes. He indicated that Ghanaians would begin to see further results from the prosecutions as the cases advance through the courts.
Currents Cases At Progress Stages
The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Honourable Dominic Akuritinga Ayine also disclosed that investigations into 34 dockets created from the Operation Recover All Loot Committee’s report have been completed. He explained that key findings from the investigations Are guiding preparations for cases to be filed before the courts.
The Attorney-General recalled that President John Dramani Mahama made the commitment to investigate alleged corruption linked to the previous administration during the 2024 election campaign. Following the election, an Operation Recover All Loot Committee was established and subsequently submitted its preliminary findings to the Attorney-General’s office.
According to the Minister of Justice, his office used the committee’s report to develop 34 separate dockets for further investigation. He noted that the investigations involved several layers of examination before the findings could be prepared for possible prosecution.
“All investigations on the 34 dockets have been completed, and key findings have been made. A lot of them are being prepared for filing in court.”
Honourable Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
The process, he explained, involves more than gathering statements or relying on information supplied by individuals. Investigators also use agencies including the Bureau of National Investigations and the Economic and Organised Crime Office, alongside forensic audits to establish the movement and use of public funds.
Furthermore, Honourable Ayine pointed to the National Cathedral audit as an example of the government’s forensic approach. He noted that the Auditor General procured the services of PwC to conduct the audit and that the resulting report has been submitted.
The Attorney-General also emphasised the need for caution during corruption investigations involving politicians. He explained that the government wanted investigations and prosecutions to meet the required legal standards so they could withstand scrutiny and avoid creating the impression that political opponents were being targeted.
This approach required investigators to examine evidence thoroughly before cases were taken to court. The Minister of Justice therefore linked the pace of prosecution to the need for careful investigative work.
“Investigations are a painstaking venture. They are multi-layered, and His Excellency has always been very, very, very keen to ensure that when we are doing investigations, or when we are doing prosecutions, we are not in any way leaving any stone unturned.”
Honourable Dominic Akuritinga Ayine
Honourable Ayine further explained that ORAL should not be understood solely through the 34 dockets developed from the committee’s report. He pointed to investigations involving the Inter Ministerial Committee on Local Government as evidence that the initiative covers other matters beyond the initial cases.
Subsequently, the initiative is focused on accountability and the recovery of public resources. He projected that the results of the investigations and prosecutions would become increasingly visible as the legal processes progress.
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