Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has taken the Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Dr. Dominic Ayine, to task over what he called a hasty and ethically questionable public disclosure of alleged payroll fraud involving former officials of the National Service Authority (NSA).
Speaking on ‘The Big Issue’ on Channel One TV on Saturday, June 14, Ahiagbah criticized the Attorney General’s recent press conference, where details of the alleged GH¢548 million payroll fraud were made public, naming 12 individuals, including Mustapha Ussif, Osei Assibey Antwi, and Gifty Oware-Mensah.
Ahiagbah expressed concern over the potential damage to reputations and the risk of undermining due process, arguing that the announcement could prejudice public opinion before the accused have their day in court.
“The question is, if we go to court and the so-called allegations do not carry weight, what would the Attorney General have done? He would have convicted these people in the court of public opinion,” Ahiagbah said.
He warned that the move violated Article 19 of the Constitution, which guarantees a fair trial and presumption of innocence. “The average Ghanaian has now come to the conclusion that these people are corrupt, just by the mere issuance of this notice. That’s what the Attorney General has done,” Ahiagbah stated.
In defense of his actions, the Attorney General argued that the investigation has concluded and that charges will be filed shortly. He maintained that the public deserves transparency on issues of corruption.
The controversy has sparked widespread debate, with critics arguing that the Attorney General’s actions risk eroding public trust in legal institutions. Supporters, however, view the move as a bold step in combating corruption.
As the case progresses, questions remain about the balance between public accountability and the protection of constitutional rights, with both sides calling for a renewed focus on fairness and due process.
