Nana Agyei Baffour Awuah, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South has raised concerns over the recent withdrawal of criminal cases involving members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He questioned the integrity of President John Dramani Mahama‘s administration’s commitment to fighting corruption, accusing it of shielding its own party members from prosecution.
“If you can’t prosecute members of your own party, who else will you prosecute?” 3news.com quoted him to have asked during an interview.
The NDC, which had campaigned on an anti-corruption platform and even initiated Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), has now dropped multiple cases against its officials.
The government has dropped several charges against certain individuals facing prosecution for various alleged crimes upon assuming office.
Most notably, people related to the ruling government also gained their freedom after the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government won the 2024 general election and assumed office on January 7, 2025.
Here are five NDC members who have benefited from the government:
1.Ofosu-Ampofo, Former NDC Chairman
2.Anthony Kwaku Boahen, Former NDC Deputy Communications Officer
The government has officially dropped all criminal charges against the former National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, and Anthony Kwaku Boahen.
The Attorney-General, Dominic Ayine, made the announcement, bringing an end to the legal proceedings that began in December 2019.
The two NDC officials had been facing trial over a leaked audio recording in which Ofosu-Ampofo was allegedly heard plotting to instigate crimes and create unrest in the country to blame then ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP).
The recording allegedly discussed plans such as kidnappings, arson, and verbal assaults on key public figures, including then Chairman of the National Peace Council, Prof. Emmanuel Asante, and Electoral Commission Chairperson, Jean Mensa.
Both Ofosu-Ampofo and Boahen had been charged with conspiracy to cause harm, but the case has now been dismissed after the government decided to withdraw from the trial.
3.Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni – Former COCOBOD CEO
Former Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, businessman Seidu Agongo, and Agricult Ghana Limited have been acquitted and discharged of all criminal charges in the COCOBOD case by the High Court.
This was after the State Prosecutors, upon the instructions of the Attorney General, filed a notice of withdrawal on Tuesday, January 28, 2025, to drop all charges against them.
The former Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, and businessman Seidu Agongo have been in court since March 25, 2018.
The presiding judge, Justice Aboagye Tandoh, upon hearing the prosecution, acquitted and discharged them.
“Accordingly, the accused persons – Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, Seidu Agongo, and Agricult Ghana Limited – are all acquitted and discharged of all charges leveled against each one of them,” Justice Aboagye Tandoh, a Justice of the Court of Appeal who is presiding over the case as an additional High Court judge, delivered.
While relying on Section 59 of Act 30 of the Criminal Procedure and Other Offences Act, particularly (iii), the court said, “After the case for the prosecution has been closed, the accused shall be acquitted in respect of the offense or offenses.”
On Tuesday, January 28, Enam Loh-Mensah, a State Attorney, told the High Court that the Attorney General had instructed that the charges be withdrawn, and the same had been filed.
“My lord, respectfully, the Attorney General has instructed that the charges against the accused persons in this matter be withdrawn. Pursuant to this, the republic has filed a notice of withdrawal,” Enam Loh-Mensah, a State Attorney, informed the court on Tuesday (January 28, 2025).
Samuel Codjoe, Counsel for Dr. Opuni, and Benson Nutsukpui, counsel for Seidu Agongo, both confirmed to the court presided over by Justice Aboagye Tandoh that they had been served with the notice of withdrawal.
4.Ato Forson, Finance Minister
5.Richard Jakpa, NDC Member
The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has withdrawn an appeal initiated by his predecessor, Godfred Yeboah Dame, against a Court of Appeal ruling that acquitted and discharged Ato Forson and Richard Jakpa of charges related to causing financial loss to the state.
In a Notice of Abandonment of Appeal dated January 23, 2025, Dr. Ayine stated that the state had decided not to pursue the matter any further.
“Please take notice that the Republic, having previously served notice of appeal against the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal on July 30, 2024, hereby gives notice that it does not intend to prosecute the appeal further and abandons all proceedings related to this matter from the date of this notice,” he stated.
On July 30, 2024, a Court of Appeal upheld an appeal on the Financial and Economic Court’s decision by then Minority Leader and former Deputy Minister of Finance, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson.
This followed an appeal in March 2023, when the High Court ordered Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson to open his defense after the Attorney General’s office established a prima facie case against him in the €2.37 million ambulance case.
AM/KA
