Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show, Dwaso Nsem, the seasoned lawyer stated that the Attorney-General acted within the law and should not be criticised.

“He has not erred at all. He is using the law to ensure justice for all parties, and I think he rather needs to be encouraged,” lawyer Ansa-Asare said.

According to him, the decision to halt the prosecution was based on proper legal processes, particularly under Ghana’s plea bargain law, which he described as a legitimate tool in the administration of justice.

“I didn’t like how the trial of Dr. Duffour was going in the first place. If the new Attorney-General has come in and decided to do things differently using the law, then that is the right thing to do,” he added.

Lawyer Ansa-Asare stressed the need for transparency in such decisions but maintained that the Attorney-General’s actions appeared to have followed due process.

“So far, what the AG is doing shows that he is correcting some of the wrongs from the previous administration. We need to take politics out of our legal system and allow the law to work,” he stressed.

The case against Dr. Duffour and others stemmed from alleged financial crimes uncovered during the Bank of Ghana’s financial sector clean-up, with UniBank at the center of the controversy. Authorities reported that over GH¢5.7 billion was unaccounted for.

The Attorney-General recently entered a nolle prosequi—a legal decision to drop the case—citing the national interest and a legal benchmark reportedly met by the accused.

However, the Minority in Parliament has strongly opposed the move and has threatened legal action if the decision is not reversed.

Despite this, the ace lawyer believes the Attorney-General must be allowed to carry out his mandate without undue political interference.

Source: Dorcas Abedu-Kennedy

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The meeting, held at Mahama’s residence, aimed to deliberate on crucial issues concerning the party and the nation, focusing on the collaborative efforts needed for the NDC’s success in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Dr. Kwabena Duffour’s visit served as a reciprocal gesture following the former President’s earlier visit to Duffour’s residence, where discussions were initiated.

During their meeting, they exchanged views on various subjects pertinent to the NDC’s future strategies and the welfare of the Ghanaian populace.

Expressing his unwavering commitment to the NDC, Dr. Duffour reiterated his dedication to work with former President John Mahama in the 2024 electioneering campaign.

Both leaders emphasized the importance of concerted efforts aimed at securing victory for the NDC in the upcoming 2024 elections.

Director of Public Prosecution, Yvonne Attakora Obuobisa, informed the court, presided over by Justice Bright Mensah, that the State has also made available its evidence against the accused persons and was ready to proceed with the trial.

The Attorney-General has accused Dr Duffuor, who was also a shareholder of uniBank of using the HODA Group, to take money from the bank and “dishonestly” transferring depositors’ funds.

It is the case of the Attorney-General that Dr Duffuor and HODA group allegedly ‘dishonestly’ received more than GH¢660 million from uniBank.

The Attorney-General has also accused Dr Johnson Asiama of using his position as 2nd Deputy Governor of the Bank of Ghana to approve the transfer of GH¢300 million which was an unsecured facility from uniBank to Universal Merchant Bank.

According to the Attorney-General, Dr Asiama knew that uniBank was in financial distress but allegedly went ahead to approve the deal.

The new charges filed by the State relates to falsification of accounts and defrauding. The case has been adjourned to July 16 for case management conference.