Minority Leader in Parliament Alexander Afenyo-Markin has launched a sharp attack on Attorney General Dr. Dominic Ayine, accusing him of employing a strategy of “media trial” rather than relying on the courts to combat corruption.
Speaking in an exclusive interview on JoyNews, the Mr Afenyo-Markin condemned the Attorney General’s frequent press conferences regarding ongoing corruption investigations, suggesting the practice is a political “playbook” designed to distract the public and prejudice potential court cases.
Mr. Afenyo-Markin, who is also the Member of Parliament for the Effutu constituency, argued that the Attorney General’s primary role is inherently judicial and should be confined to the courtroom, not the media space.
“Attorney General’s place is in the court. My respected friend the MP who is an Attorney General and his deputy, I want them to know that their place is in a court,” the Minority Leader asserted.
He contended that the continuous public pronouncements by Dr. Ayine’s office risk “undermining the authority of the court” and “disrespecting the rights of people” by “pronouncing guilty even before going to court.”
The Minority Leader views this as a fundamental breach of the Rule of Law, which demands that guilt be established only through due process in a judicial setting.
Mr Afenyo-Markin specifically alleged that the New Democratic Congress (NDC) administration, which the Attorney General serves, resorts to public announcements of corruption probes as a public relations strategy.
“Since they (NDC) assumed office, apart from the PR when they are hot, they only come and then announce a so-called corruption they are investigating somewhere. That’s their playbook now. Anytime the government is under pressure, the Attorney General would do a press conference,” he claimed.
This accusation comes amidst the NDC government’s much-touted Operation Recover All Loot (ORAL) initiative, which has seen the Attorney General hold several high-profile briefings detailing investigations and prosecutions of former officials for alleged financial crimes, including a major GH₵78 million scandal involving the National Food and Buffer Stock Company and the indictment of 12 persons over a US$56.3 million fraud uncovered in the National Service Scheme (NSS).
The Minority Leader escalated his criticism by linking the media trial approach to alleged political aspirations regarding the judiciary, citing what he claimed were whispers from the opposition about installing their preferred judge as the head of the third arm of government.
“At least we hear them [NDC] saying it that they want their CJ, and then they can have their preferred judges. That’s what they are saying.”
The reference is in relation to His Lordship Justice Paul Baffoe-Bonnie, who was recently nominated by President John Dramani Mahama to serve as the Chief Justice.
While Justice Baffoe-Bonnie’s nomination has been publicly endorsed by some legal practitioners for his experience and integrity, Afenyo-Markin’s comment frames the judicial appointment process as a potential avenue for political influence over court outcomes.
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