Stop Media Prosecutions and Go to Court – Minority Tells Attorney General

The Minority in Parliament has accused the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, of conducting what they describe as “media prosecutions” against former government officials and individuals under investigation.

Addressing a press conference in Accra, the Minority’s Legal Counsel, Hon. John Darko, urged the Attorney General to desist from what they called “press trials” and instead prosecute his cases in court.

According to the Minority, Dr. Ayine’s frequent public pronouncements of alleged criminality against persons associated with the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration violate the constitutional principle that an accused person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

“By these public prosecutions, the Attorney General has violated his oath to be fair to all manner of persons and prejudiced the fair trial principle under Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution,” Hon. Darko stated.

He accused Dr. Ayine of using the so-called “Accountability Series” to publicly discuss ongoing investigations, thereby breaching the privacy rights of the individuals involved.

The Minority cited instances where the Attorney General allegedly used prejudicial language, referring to some accused persons as “lawless looters” and describing one investigation as “rumble in the jungle.” They argued that such commentary creates a public presumption of guilt before the courts have had a chance to rule.

“The AG has turned the long-established criminal law principle of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ on its head,” the Minority’s spokesperson said. “This media trial paints accused persons like Hanan Abdul-Wahab, Gifty Oware-Mensah, Osei Assibey, Chairman Wontumi, and others as guilty even before they have their day in court.”

The Minority also warned that extensive media commentary on ongoing trials risks influencing judicial officers who, though trained to be impartial, are not immune to public opinion.

“Our judges live among us and consume the same media content. Excessive coverage can taint their perception of a case, which is why lawyers are cautioned not to comment on matters that are sub judice,” they stressed.

They accused the Attorney General of breaching the professional ethics of the Bar by discussing pending cases publicly and called on him to update the nation on other high-profile cases involving former NDC officials, such as the Saglemi Housing Project.

“We are not against accountability,” the Minority clarified. “We believe everyone must answer for their stewardship. But the Attorney General must pursue justice in the courts, not in the court of public opinion.”

The group further cautioned the media not to “unknowingly amplify a populist agenda” and urged civil society, religious bodies, and traditional leaders to speak out against what they described as creeping constitutional violations.

“We must all rise to defend the integrity of our democracy before it is eroded,” the Minority concluded.

Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com