The Minority Caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has accused the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, of undermining the 1992 Constitution through what it described as “media prosecutions” of alleged offenders under the guise of an “Accountability Series.”
Addressing journalists at Parliament House on Tuesday October 28, 2025, the Minority’s Legal Advisor and Member of Parliament for Suame, John Darko, Esq, said the Attorney-General’s conduct violates the principle of natural justice and the constitutional right to a fair trial as guaranteed under Article 19 of the 1992 Constitution.
According to Mr. Darko, while the Attorney-General is mandated to inform the public on matters of national interest, his recent public commentary on pending cases amounts to “name-calling and pronouncing guilt on accused persons before the courts have had their say.”
He accused the Minister of Justice of turning accountability into “a political gimmick” aimed at tarnishing reputations rather than promoting genuine transparency.
“An accused person’s guilt must be proven beyond reasonable doubt, not on the preponderance of probability,” Mr. Darko asserted.
He further stated that “What the Attorney-General is doing is not accountability but media populism.”
The Caucus said the Attorney-General’s recent public briefings have prejudiced the fair trial principle by labeling suspects as “lawless looters” and “criminal syndicates,” thereby creating the impression of guilt before the courts determine the cases.
Citing examples, the Minority noted that individuals such as Hanan Abdul-Wahab, his wife Faiza Seidu Wuni, Chairman Wontumi, Gifty Oware Mensah, and Kwabena Adu Boahene have all been publicly branded as criminals by the Attorney-General before their cases are concluded in court.
The Minority cautioned that such “press prosecutions” risk tainting judicial objectivity, since judges who live among the same public exposed to the AG’s remarks may inadvertently be influenced by the public discourse generated by these media briefings.
“It is for this reason that lawyers are cautioned against commenting on matters that are sub judice,” the minority said.
The minority legal advisor further indicated that “the Attorney-General, as titular head of the Bar, should know better and uphold the ethics of his profession.”
The Minority also accused the Attorney-General of selective justice, questioning why cases involving former Mahama appointees such as Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, Collins Dauda, and Dr. Johnson Asiamah were withdrawn while others are publicly targeted for political mileage.
While emphasising their commitment to accountability, the Minority insisted it must be pursued within the confines of the law and not through what it described as “trial by media.”
“Competent Attorney-Generals don’t try cases in the court of public opinion; they try them in the courtroom,” Mr Darko emphasized.
The caucus called on the public to speak against the action of the Attorney General and Minister for Justice to safeguard the constitution.
“We call on civil society, the media, and all democratic institutions to rise up against this creeping culture that threatens the rule of law and fair trial in Ghana”, it stated.
