By Nana Asare Baffour
In yet another troubling move, Ghana’s Attorney General has filed a nolle prosequi to discontinue the high-profile corruption case involving former Finance Minister Dr. Kwabena Duffour. This is not an isolated incident. In just the past six months, the current A-G has filed more nolle prosequi than any of his predecessors since the return to constitutional rule in 1992. This trend is not just concerning it is dangerous.
Yes, nolle prosequi is a legitimate legal instrument. But when it becomes a tool used with increasing frequency especially in cases involving politically exposed individuals it begins to erode public trust. It sends a message to ordinary Ghanaians that there are two systems of justice in this country, one for the powerful and connected, and another for the rest of us.
The implications are enormous. Investor confidence is shaken. Whistle-blowers are silenced. Public officers are emboldened to act with impunity. When the nation’s chief legal officer routinely drops cases involving alleged misappropriation of billions of cedis, it raises a fundamental question: Who is protecting the public interest?
The Attorney General is not merely a government lawyer. He is meant to be the people’s advocate, the watchdog against abuse of public power and public funds. But under the current leadership, the office has seemingly transformed into a sanctuary for political allies. This undermines Ghana’s anti-corruption efforts from within and diminishes the credibility of our democracy.
Let us be clear, the money allegedly misappropriated in these discontinued cases does not belong to any politician. It is the sweat and sacrifice of the Ghanaian taxpayer market women, farmers, nurses, teachers, and young graduates who continue to search for jobs. When justice is denied to them, democracy loses its soul.
This precedent must not stand. If future governments come to believe that legal accountability is optional negotiable, even then, we will have institutionalized corruption beyond repair. The damage to our institutions, our economy, and our moral fabric will be irreversible.
Some have dared to call out the A-G. Kwame A-Plus, a Member of Parliament, labelled him corrupt. While his comment sparked controversy, it captures the growing sentiment across the country, that the current Attorney General has become more of a political gatekeeper than a guardian of justice.
Ghanaians must rise above partisan politics and demand integrity, transparency, and justice. This is not about NPP or NDC. It is about the soul of Ghana. Silence in the face of injustice is complicity. If we allow this precedent to continue unchallenged, we risk normalizing impunity at the highest levels of power.
Justice must never be sacrificed for political convenience. The future of our Republic depends on it.
