Legal practitioner Marthin Kpebu has criticised Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, for failing to provide reasons for discontinuing several high-profile criminal cases.
According to Kpebu, the Attorney-General’s decision to drop these cases without explanation undermines transparency, accountability, and public confidence in Ghana’s justice system.
Since assuming office, Dr. Ayine has halted multiple prosecutions, including those involving former COCOBOD CEO Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, former Deputy Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Johnson Asiamah, Fix the Country protesters, officials linked to the Saglemi Housing Project, the SSNIT Operational Business Suite (OBS) scandal, and the leaked National Democratic Congress (NDC) audio case involving former party chairman Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo.
Speaking on TV3’s Key Points program on Saturday, Kpebu argued that simply discontinuing these cases without justification is inadequate.
He stressed that democratic accountability requires transparency in such decisions, enabling public scrutiny of government actions.
While he acknowledged that dropping the ambulance trial involving Dr. Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa was expected, he maintained that the Attorney-General must still provide explanations to build public trust.
Kpebu warned that if the government remains unresponsive to public concerns, voters will ultimately hold it accountable at the polls.
“Assigning reasons helps our democracy,” he said. “Before the Attorney-General stops a prosecution, there must be greater transparency and accountability.”
High-Profile Cases Discontinued
Cocoa Trial
Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Limited were on trial for nearly eight years over allegations of causing a GH¢271 million financial loss to the state in a fertiliser procurement deal.
Ambulance Trial
Finance Minister Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson and businessman Richard Jakpa faced trial for allegedly causing a €2.37 million financial loss in an ambulance procurement deal. The case gained national attention due to a leaked recorded telephone conversation between Jakpa and former Attorney-General Godfred Yeboah Dame, which Kpebu cited as an example of judicial misconduct.
Financial Sector Crisis
Former Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana Dr. Johnson Asiamah, UT Bank founder Prince Kofi Amoabeng and UniBank’s former CEO, Dr. Kwabena Duffuor II were among those charged with financial crimes linked to the collapse of several banks.
Fix the Country Protesters
Over 50 demonstrators, including convenor Oliver Barker-Vormawor and activist Ama Governor, were arrested while protesting against illegal mining (galamsey) and its environmental impact.
Saglemi Housing Project
Former Housing Minister Collins Dauda and other officials faced 70 charges related to alleged financial mismanagement in Ghana’s $200 million affordable Saglemi housing project.
SSNIT OBS Scandal
Ex-SSNIT Director-General Ernest Thompson and other officials were accused of financial losses exceeding $5 million in a pension administration system deal. As it stands, Caleb Kwaku Adaglo (A4) – Former General Manager of MIS at SSNIT- fate is yet to be determined by the trial court.
Meanwhile as Thompson, John Hagan Mensah (A2) – Former IT Infrastructure Manager and OBS Project Manager and Peter Hayinor (A5) – Former General Counsel of SSNIT have been freed by the A-G., Juliet Hassana Kramer (A3) – CEO of Perfect Business Systems (PBS) on the other hand was acquitted and discharged by the court.
Leaked NDC Audio Case
Former NDC National Chairman Samuel Ofosu Ampofo and Anthony Kwaku Boahen were charged over an alleged leaked audio inciting violence against Electoral Commission and National Peace Council officials.
