Renowned investigative and award-winning journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni has strongly criticized the government’s decision to discontinue multiple corruption cases involving officials and associates of the previous Mahama administration.
Manasseh in a scathing critique, strongly argued that such a move not only undermines accountability but also sets a dangerous precedent that could derail future efforts to fight corruption in Ghana.
He contended that while the decision to drop charges against certain groups, such as the Democracy Hub protesters, might not be surprising, the mass clearance of cases involving corruption and financial loss to the state is alarming.
“For a president vowing to reset Ghana and prosecute government officials who have stolen or caused money to be stolen from the public purse, the mass clearance is a wrong start. It’s a dangerous precedent”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni
The investigative journalist warned that President Mahama’s decision sends a clear signal to political officeholders: that if they are charged with corruption, they can simply drag their cases until their party regains power, at which point the prosecution will be discontinued.
This in the view of Manasseh does not portend well for accountability, asserting that it set a dangerous precedent that defeats President Mahama’s resolve to fight corruption and defeats such future endeavors.
Manasseh recalled that under President Mahama’s previous administration, the prosecution of officials involved in the Ghana Youth Employment and Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) scandal led to the jailing of some party members.
However, the current wave of discontinuations for him signals a sharp departure from that approach.
Concerns Over the Attorney-General’s Role
Moreover, Manasseh Azure Awuni also takes issue with the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine’s role in these terminations, arguing that the power to prosecute or discontinue cases should be exercised in the public’s interest rather than for political convenience.
“The Attorney-General must not truncate prosecution just because he has the power to do so. That power belongs to Ghanaians and must be exercised in our interest. The courts should be allowed to deal with the evidence and decide on the guilt or innocence of the persons charged”
Manasseh Azure Awuni
He also highlighted the loss of vast sums of money in certain cases, emphasizing that Ghanaians deserve answers, regardless of whether the defendants were ultimately acquitted.
One of the most contentious cases affected by this move is the ambulance procurement scandal. While the defendants, including former Deputy and current Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and businessman Richard Jakpa, were acquitted, Manasseh Awuni maintained that the scandal itself was real and damaging to the state.
“I produced a documentary on those ambulances (titled ‘Grounded Wheels’ on YouTube), and I had no doubt the ambulance procurement was a scandal. I was surprised at the fixation on Jakpa and Ato Forson, while officials of the ministry that procured the ambulances and labelled them substandard after failing to inspect them before shipment were left untouched”.
Manasseh Azure Awuni
He recalled how the previous Mahama administration moved the ambulances from the forecourt of the State House to the Air Force Base in Burma Camp to prevent public scrutiny. He argued that this act alone proves the procurement was problematic.
Manasseh Awuni also drew a parallel between President Mahama’s actions and those of his predecessor, President Nana Akufo-Addo, whom he previously dubbed the “Chief Clearing Agent” for dismissing corruption allegations against his appointees.
“Mahama seems to relish that title,” Manasseh Awuni remarks, referencing instances where Akufo-Addo publicly defended officials later implicated in corruption, such as Pius Hadzide, who was cleared of involvement in the Australia visa scandal but later confessed to his role during a political campaign.
The journalist warned that the government’s credibility in fighting corruption is at stake. He questions how President Mahama’s much-touted Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) can succeed when his administration is simultaneously engaged in what he calls “Operation Clear All Looters (OCAL).”
“If the government clears all its party people standing trial, the people whose power the government exercises must be given sound reasons,” he asserted.
As Ghana grapples with issues of corruption and financial mismanagement, Manasseh Awuni cautions against adopting the worst practices from failing democracies like the United States, where political interference in the justice system has been widely criticized.
Manasseh Azure Awuni’s critique underscores growing concerns about the government’s commitment to fighting corruption and upholding the rule of law.
He emphasized that the decision to discontinue cases involving corruption raises fundamental questions about political accountability and the independence of the judiciary.
He urged the government to provide a compelling justification for its actions or risk eroding public trust in its anti-corruption agenda.
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