Attorney General refuses to release controversial memo on dropped case against Dr. Johnson Asiama

Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, has refused to disclose a contentious memo that he previously cited as the basis for dropping criminal charges against former Bank of Ghana Deputy Governor who is now the BoG Governor, Dr. Johnson Asiama.

Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, June 10, Dr. Ayine invoked provisions of the Right to Information (RTI) Act to justify his decision, insisting the document falls under statutory exemptions.

“The document you are asking me to produce today is an opinion that was meant for the Attorney General to take a decision, and that is statutorily exempt under the Right to Information Act,” he said in response to a formal request filed by Suame MP John Darko.

The memo in question, authored by the Prosecution Division of the Attorney General’s Office, was referenced by Dr. Ayine on Wednesday, February 12, as the foundation for discontinuing the case. He claimed it advised former Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame to drop the charges due to concerns over the strength of the prosecution’s case.

However, that claim has been publicly denied by Godfred Dame, who disputes the existence of such a recommendation.

The disagreement sparked a heated debate in Parliament, as lawmakers demanded transparency on what has become a high-profile legal and political issue.

“The gravamen of the question tells it all, it says that provide a memorandum. The fact that there was a memorandum, is a matter of subject for public knowledge. The Attorney General’s office put out to the public that there was a memorandum,” Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin stated during deliberations.

Tensions further escalated when Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor accused the Majority Leader of pushing Parliament to sidestep the RTI law in order to compel the Attorney General to release the memo.

The session took a dramatic turn when Dr. Ayew Afriyie, Ranking Member on the Health Committee, attempted to raise a statement concerning the ongoing strike by the Ghana Registered Nurses and Midwives Association—despite the Speaker’s prior ruling against it.

In response, First Deputy Speaker Bernard Ahiafor ordered the chamber's marshal to remove Dr. Afriyie, triggering chaotic scenes on the floor and ending the day’s proceedings in disarray.