ORAL: We will not file 'half-baked' cases in court, We want 'airtight' prosecutions - Attorney-General

The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Dr Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, has dismissed claims of delay in prosecuting high-profile corruption cases, stating that his office was moving swiftly and following due process.

Addressing a weekly press briefing by the government dubbed "Accountability Series" on Monday, [July 28, 2025], Dr Ayine said his office was not going to file "half-baked" cases in court and that they "want airtight prosecutions."

He said the Ministry of Justice has significantly shortened the time it takes to prepare cases, particularly those involving financial crimes and politically exposed persons.

“We file charges, witness statements, and documents within two weeks – that is a record compared to the six months it used to take,” he said. “There is no delay. We’re moving at supersonic speed, but convictions depend on the courts, not my office.”

Dr Ayine was responding to questions on why his office was yet to prosecute many of the cases mentioned in the Operation Retrieve All Loot (ORAL) report.

He explained that his team has streamlined internal processes to speed up case preparation and eliminate unnecessary hold-ups.

“We are not sitting on files,” he said. “We are putting together dockets, reviewing evidence, and filing all necessary processes in record time. If a case is taking longer, it is usually because we are working to close gaps in the evidence to prevent reasonable doubt in court.”

He pointed to the ECG matter as an example. He said his office had reviewed a preliminary report and returned it to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for additional work before charges could be filed.

“We don’t want a half-baked case. We want airtight prosecutions,” he said.

Dr Ayine also addressed wider concerns about the pace of justice delivery, particularly in cases with political implications. While he acknowledged the public’s right to demand results, he reminded Ghanaians that the judicial process involves several institutions.

“My office prosecutes. The courts convict. We do our part at supersonic speed,” he said.