Wednesday, 29 October

Minority accuses A-General of violating constitutional rights through “press prosecution”

General News
Dr Dominic Ayine

The Minority in Parliament has accused the Attorney-General of engaging in what they describe as “press prosecution,” alleging that his recent public statements and actions against certain individuals amount to a violation of constitutional rights and due process.

At a press conference held earlier today and addressed by the Member of Parliament for Suame, John Darko, the Minority condemned what they termed as the Attorney-General’s “media-driven investigations and public accusations” against prominent Ghanaians.

Mr. Darko argued that the Attorney-General’s conduct undermines Article 19(2)(c) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees every citizen the right to a fair and impartial trial.

“The Attorney-General’s practice of making sensational public allegations before formal charges are filed or cases are brought before the courts constitutes a clear breach of constitutional safeguards,” Mr. Darko asserted.

“Such actions risk prejudicing ongoing investigations and compromising the core of the right to a fair trial.”

He accused the Attorney-General and his team of engaging in a “media trial strategy”, in which details of investigations are disclosed to the public in ways that portray individuals as guilty even before judicial proceedings begin.

According to Mr. Darko, this trend represents a dangerous erosion of the presumption of innocence, one of the foundational principles of Ghana’s criminal justice system.

“When the Attorney-General resorts to press briefings to try cases in the court of public opinion, it exposes private citizens to undue public scrutiny and damages reputations long before any verdict is reached,” he stated.

The Minority called for a recommitment to professional prosecutorial standards, urging the Attorney-General’s office to respect constitutional boundaries and to ensure that justice is pursued strictly through the courts rather than through the media.

 

They also appealed to civil society organisations and the Ghana Bar Association to speak out against what they see as a growing culture of trial by media, warning that continued silence could erode public trust in Ghana’s justice system.

Source: Classfmonline.com/Havilah Kekeli