Claim Ayine didn't consult Mahama before withdrawing cases palpably untrue — Dame

Immediate past Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Godfred Yeboah Dame, has refuted claims by his successor, Dr. Dominic Ayine, that he did not consult President John Dramani Mahama before discontinuing several high-profile criminal cases.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, February 12, the current Minister of Justice said he takes full responsibility of the act that had earned President Mahama a “clearing agent” tag.

However, Mr. Dame contented that the assertion is not only false but also part of a calculated effort to conceal the true motives behind the withdrawals.

Speaking at a counter-press conference in Accra on Friday, February 14, Mr. Dame alleged that Dr. Ayine’s actions were consistent with the National Democratic Congress (NDC)’s longstanding strategy to clear its leading members of any criminal liability.

He said the withdrawals were part of an orchestrated plan to fulfill promises made by the NDC before coming into power.

“But ladies and gentlemen, we ought to ask ourselves — is it true that Dr. Ayine did not consult the President or his Cabinet about the decision to discontinue the various criminal proceedings? A careful examination of the facts shows that this claim is palpably untrue,” Dame stated.

The former Attorney General questioned the credibility of Dr. Ayine’s claims, suggesting that the decision to withdraw cases was influenced by the NDC’s political agenda.

He cited previous statements by President Mahama and NDC leaders promising to restore the revoked licenses of collapsed banks and exonerate former government officials.

“The nation has not forgotten the loud claims made by President John Mahama and the NDC that the NPP rather, was responsible for the collapse of the banking sector and that on assuming power, the John Mahama government will restore all the banking licenses which were revoked,” he added.

Mr. Dame stressed that the withdrawal of cases involving the banking sector crisis is only the first step in what he called a “whitewashing process” designed to protect individuals implicated in the collapse of the sector.