I won’t file a case before looking for evidence – Ayine

Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has reaffirmed his dedication to fair and evidence-based prosecution, making it clear that he will not pursue cases without a solid legal foundation.

“I will not initiate prosecution before establishing evidence,” Dr. Ayine stated during a press conference in Accra, pushing back against criticism over his decision to discontinue several high-profile cases.

His remarks follow public scrutiny over the dismissal of cases linked to officials from the previous Mahama administration, including the Saglemi Housing Project, former Bank of Ghana Deputy Governor Johnson Asiama, the Democracy Hub case, and the COCOBOD trial involving Stephen Opuni.

Decisions Based on Legal Merit, Not Political Pressure

Dr. Ayine stood by his decisions, emphasizing that each case was carefully reviewed and dismissed based on legal merit.

“As Attorney General, I take full responsibility for every decision made. No one has directed or pressured me to either drop cases or bring charges against anyone,” he affirmed.

He further explained that his reviews were guided strictly by professional ethics and the rule of law.

“For ethical and professional reasons, I could not, in good conscience, continue prosecuting certain cases. Some charges were legally flawed, while others lacked basic commonsense,” he noted.

Insufficient Evidence and Judicial Concerns

Dr. Ayine stressed that a lack of compelling evidence was a major factor in the dropped prosecutions.

“In some cases, the evidence presented created reasonable doubt about the guilt of the accused. No prosecutor should continue a case when there is overwhelming uncertainty,” he asserted.

He also raised concerns about judicial conduct, stating that certain decisions by individual judges were questionable and influenced his choices to withdraw cases.

Commitment to Due Process

Concluding his remarks, Dr. Ayine reiterated that all accused individuals in the dismissed cases had been lawfully acquitted and discharged.

“My actions have been in strict adherence to constitutional and legal principles, completely free from political interference,” he emphasized.

His statements sought to assure the public that justice remains his top priority, even in politically