The Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has clarified that he is under no pressure to enter into plea deals in connection with ongoing corruption investigations involving former appointees of the erstwhile Akufo-Addo administration.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series on Wednesday, Dr. Ayine revealed that several plea bargain offers had been made by some accused persons, including the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi-Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi.
Dr. Ayine emphasised that his office has not been influenced by any external authority or political figure in the discharge of his duties.
“I’m under no pressure from any quarters to cut deals,” Dr. Ayine stated. “Mr. President, who is my boss, has not put any pressure on me. He gives me his blessings when I brief him. The Chief of Staff has not put pressure on me to cut deals with anybody.”
He confirmed that offers had been made in the Wontumi case but stressed that the judicial process must be allowed to run its full course.
“Offers have been made, but I have turned all of them down. I have told everybody, please go to court. In the Wontumi case, offers were made to us for a plea bargain, but I said no—I’m filing charges. If you want to announce your intention for a plea deal, do it before the judge. That is now my strategy,” he explained.
Dr. Ayine also dismissed reports suggesting he was negotiating plea deals with NPP officials, describing such claims as politically motivated.
“The NPP took advantage and said I was cutting deals. No deals have been cut and no deal will be cut,” he maintained.
Chairman Wontumi, who is the first accused in a case involving Akonta Mining Company Limited, is facing multiple charges, including facilitating unlicensed mining operations and assigning mineral rights without ministerial approval.
He has, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Source: Adomonline
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