Omanghana
Ghana’s Deputy Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Justice Srem-Sai, has rejected allegations that the Attorney-General’s Office repeatedly declined requests from the Office of the Special Prosecutor to collaborate on corruption-related cases.
Dr. Srem-Sai described the claims as “completely false,” maintaining that the current leadership of the Attorney-General’s Office has no record of receiving and rejecting such a request from the OSP.
His response followed comments made by the OSP’s Director of Strategy, Research and Communications, Samuel Appiah Darko, during an appearance on JoyNews’ Newsfile.
Darko claimed that the anti-corruption agency had previously approached the Attorney-General’s Office to work jointly on major cases but was unsuccessful in securing the proposed collaboration.
Responding to the allegation, Dr. Srem-Sai said that since Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine assumed office under the current administration, the OSP had not made any known formal approach for joint work that was subsequently rejected.
According to him, there has been no request, indication or official communication from the Special Prosecutor’s Office seeking collaboration on a case that the Attorney-General’s Office turned down.
He suggested that the OSP’s claims might relate to events that occurred under a previous administration rather than the tenure of the current Attorney-General.
Dr. Srem-Sai also addressed the legal relationship between the Attorney-General’s Office and other state investigative and prosecutorial bodies.
He explained that the Attorney-General is Ghana’s principal legal adviser and prosecutorial authority under the Constitution. Institutions such as the OSP, Ghana Police Service, Ghana Immigration Service and Narcotics Control Commission operate within a broader state law-enforcement framework.
The Deputy Attorney-General argued that cooperation between the Attorney-General’s Office and these agencies should not be treated as a voluntary arrangement negotiated between co-equal institutions.
He said supporting investigative agencies in the fight against crime is a legal obligation rather than a favour or discretionary decision.
Dr. Srem-Sai added that the Attorney-General’s Office has a duty to assist state investigative bodies while ensuring that investigations and prosecutions respect the constitutional and legal rights of accused persons.
He further denied suggestions of operational tension between the Attorney-General’s Office and the OSP, insisting that there is no institutional friction affecting their respective responsibilities.
According to him, both institutions must operate strictly within the powers granted to them by the Constitution and their respective enabling laws.
The exchange has renewed public discussion about cooperation between Ghana’s principal prosecutorial institutions, particularly in the investigation and prosecution of corruption and corruption-related offences.
Source: Omanghana
