Accra: Dr Dominic Akurutinga Ayine, the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General, has reiterated his determination to jail individuals who have misappropriated state resources. He emphasized his stance on Monday during the Government Accountability Series press conference held at the Presidency in Accra.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Ayine stated, "Finally, make no mistake about my intentions. I want to jail persons who have looted state resources but at the same time, I am pragmatic enough to know that it is not in every instance that that is possible." He highlighted that in situations where conviction is not feasible, he would consider non-conviction-based asset recovery as an alternative.
Dr Ayine reminded citizens of his previous announcement regarding an investigation into Kwabena Adu-Boahene, the former Director of the National Signals Bureau. He mentioned his willingness to engage in plea bargaining with those found guilty of looting or stealing state resources. He emphasized that he is open to negotiations with accused individuals to reach a plea agreement.
He explained that his approach aligns with the objectives of the Operation Recovery All Loots (ORAL) initiative, aimed at recovering stolen assets. Dr Ayine noted that recovering assets and imprisoning offenders are not mutually exclusive goals. He explained that plea negotiations often require compromises to reach a settlement.
Dr Ayine highlighted that their plea-bargain statute allows the Attorney-General to potentially drop charges in exchange for restitution. Additionally, under the Courts Act, 1993 (Act 459), an accused can plead guilty and pay restitution if the offense involves harm to the Republic's property, including resources. In such cases, a non-custodial sentence may be imposed, a legal option that has been underutilized for 32 years.
The Attorney-General affirmed his support for using Section 35 of the Courts Act to fulfill the objectives of ORAL, highlighting his commitment to ensuring accountability and recovering state assets.
