Accra: Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, has entered a nolle prosequi in the case of The Republic v. Kwabena Duffour and seven others. This decision effectively halts the prosecution against the accused individuals.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Attorney-General's office, in a statement signed by Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, Deputy Attorney-General and Deputy Minister of Justice, explained the rationale behind this decision. The case was part of a larger initiative stemming from the financial sector clean-up exercise initiated by the State in 2018, aimed at ensuring accountability for public funds and recovering losses attributed to alleged financial impropriety.
The statement highlighted that the prosecutions were intended to achieve two main objectives: accountability for public funds and the recovery of losses incurred by the State. To reconsider prosecution in certain cases, a recovery threshold of 60 percent of the alleged losses was established by the Attorney-General's office, in collaboration with other State agencies.
Following extended negotiations, the accused in The Republic v. Kwabena Duffour and others met this recovery threshold. Consequently, the Attorney-General determined that continuing the prosecution would not serve any additional public interest, given the significant recoveries made for the State.
The statement clarified that this decision does not imply an absence of wrongdoing or absolution of any conduct. Instead, it represents a pragmatic approach in alignment with the national interest to recover State resources. The Attorney-General reaffirmed his commitment to upholding the rule of law, safeguarding the public purse, and pursuing justice in all matters of national importance.
