, risks being undermined following explosive revelations by the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fiifi Kwetey.){kind=link}
A private legal practitioner, Professor Stephen Kwaku Asare, has cautioned that the government’s flagship anti-corruption drive, Operation Recover All Loots (ORAL), risks being undermined following explosive revelations by the General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Fiifi Kwetey.
Mr. Kwetey alleged that some NDC lawyers are attempting to “cut deals” for persons currently facing prosecution under ORAL, raising concerns about the credibility of the initiative.
Speaking at the 5th Annual General Conference of NDC Lawyers, the NDC scribe warned that such actions betray the very mandate Ghanaians gave the party to ensure accountability and justice.
“Despite pleas and pressure from the public that punishment has to be meted out properly, some among us are busy trying to cut deals with people who are supposed to be prosecuted,” he said.
Although Mr. Kwetey stopped short of naming the lawyers involved, he hinted that the identities of those allegedly engaged in behind-the-scenes negotiations will eventually be exposed.
“I’m not mentioning names. A time will come when we have to, they know themselves,” he stated, accusing some party lawyers of acting as conduits through which undue pressure is being placed on state institutions handling corruption-related prosecutions.
In a stern warning, he reminded his party members that the NDC’s electoral victory was largely secured on the promise of accountability, not leniency.
“Think again. Because this victory was achieved largely because the people of Ghana wanted the right thing done. Not for deals to be cut. No, it won’t happen,” he said.
His comments come on the back of assurances from the Deputy Attorney-General, Dr. Srem Sai, who recently admitted that while public concerns about the slow pace of ORAL cases are legitimate, due process cannot be compromised.
Dr. Sai explained that progress has been made, citing the ongoing case against former Minister Adu Boahen, which is already one-third complete. He attributed the seeming delays to the annual legal vacation, which suspended court proceedings for two months.
“To the extent that for Adu Boahene, we have covered 1/3rd of the case, if not for the legal vacation, which stops the court for two months, we would probably have concluded our case. But we will come back in October and continue from where we left off,” he told TV3.
He stressed that the government’s approach is deliberate and thorough. “The expectation is legitimate because of what we have witnessed, but the work we are doing is very thorough and vibrant. We can’t just bundle people into jail without following the process,” Dr. Sai added.
Prof. Kwaku Asare’s warning, combined with Mr. Kwetey’s revelations, has sparked fresh debate over the integrity of ORAL and whether political interference could derail Ghana’s latest anti-corruption effort.