AG fed the press with pathetic one-sided, untested position – Adu Boahene’s lawyers

Lawyers for Kwabena Adu Boahene, the former Director of the National Signal Bureau (NSB), and his wife, Angela Adjei Boateng, have launched a scathing attack on Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Akuritinga Ayine, accusing him of conducting a “trial by media” instead of allowing due process to take its course.

In a strongly worded legal letter dated March 24, Zoe, Akyea & Co. condemned the AG for publicly branding their clients as “state looters” during a press conference while admitting investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) were still ongoing.

“The Learned Attorney-General has cheapened the press conference by pronouncing our clients guilty in the court of public opinion,” the letter stated.

“He unprofessionally labelled prejudicial information as ‘evidence,’ poisoning public perception before any formal charges.”

The lawyers argued that such conduct violates constitutional safeguards protecting suspects from being prejudged before trial.

“It is difficult to come to terms with the fact that the Attorney-General is comfortable with the press where there is “no proof beyond reasonable doubt.” The Attorney-General has become the media persecutor of our Clients, a judge in his own court while simultaneously asserting that he is still investigating the case. This is counter-intuitive.”

“We do not believe a change of government through constitutional means should degenerate into a reset version of rule of law in which the press is fed with a pathetic one-sided and untested position by the leader of the Bar. This unmitigated prejudice with defamatory consequences will be prosecuted in the appropriate forum.”

The letter drew sharp comparisons between prosecution and persecution, suggesting the AG’s approach was politically motivated.

“When a case from the highest level of the Attorney-General is tried in the press, it degenerates from prosecution—which must be impartial—to persecution,” the lawyers wrote.

“This is an affront to the rule of law.”

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